Sacrifice
by Elocinn
Summary: Woody commits a sacrifice that affects his friends and family greatly, starting a string of sacrifices that get more and more serious. What will be the next great sacrifice and how will everything be solved? BLOSC-based
1. Crystallic Revolution

**This had been deleted for a little while due to my internet server being a jerk and deleting it on me. I is sorry for the confusion.**

Why? Because I can. And because writing is a destressifyer for me (yay for made up words!). So yeah, another random idea that includes the BLoSC universe and humanized toys. I'm warning you though, there are going to be many references to many different things. Cause I wanna try something different, but I promise, they're all fun. If you notice a lot of Star Trek and Star Wars references, it's because BLoSC is based almost entirely off the two. If you want, look for footnotes at the end of each chappie. You don't need to read them if you don't want to. Footnote references are marked by a (*) and go in order.

Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Toy Story, BLoSC, Pixar, Disney, and the letalike. This disclaimer speaks for the entire story.

* * *

**Crystallic Revolution**

The event was revolutionary. Not one soul could have predicted such an occurrence to ever happen, at least, not while they still lived. Life-forms from numerous cities and planets made it their top priority to visit Capital Planet's capital city* to view the affair. They all wanted to witness the coming of the King of Raxip*.

The planet of Raxip acted as the major mining source of crystallic fuel for every system located in the Milky Way Galaxy. Such a resource provided the means for planets like Earth, currently named Capital Planet, to advance their technology and lifestyles until they reached the futuristic splendor they always dreamed of. Satisfied for hundreds of years, the trade between Raxip and the systems around it remained stable. Yet, the royal family always scorned their customers and threatened to end trade several times due to over-usage. A new discovery had been made, however; a fine, sedimentary particle of the crystallic material had the capability to provide more energy and constancy.

After the news spread and the consumer cravings peaked, the new, young King of Raxip agreed to discuss trade regulations with the Galactic Alliance. A celebratory reaction spread throughout the galaxy. Soon, they would have the capability to do anything. The date was set and the future looked promising. Well, almost.

The space branch of the Galactic Alliance's army had a plate full of worries. For months, Star Command planned, analyzed, and exacted the form of protection they would provide for the royal Raxip convoy while they visited Capital Planet's intergalactic Senate building* to negotiate. Of course, the Gamma Quadrant, Sector 4 base located above the planet's atmosphere had all the heat piled onto them. And they entrusted such responsibility onto one ranger to lead the protection squad.

"The Raxip convoy will arrive in approximately ten minutes." Buzz Lightyear, Star Command prodigy, regulator, and captain marched along the lines of 300 attentive Space Rangers. "There are no rookies among you, thus there is no tolerance for any rookie mistakes that you may make. This mission will decide what the future holds, not only for the Galactic Alliance, but also for Star Command. I trust you understand the importance."

He paused, turning until he faced each of them head-on. Holding his hands behind his back tightly, he gave a stern glance to every member of his squad. Yet, they weren't all strangers to him. His team of officers, Mira Nova, Booster, and XR, stood in front of their small regiments, awaiting orders to relay to their rangers. In his peripherals, he could see another two of his officers, two of his best friends, standing on either side of him, Sheriff Woody Pride and his deputy, Jessie Pride.

Although the cowboy and cowgirl would never seem like Space Rangers, especially since they lacked Star Command suits and wore only their western attire, they secretly held ranks of their own. In the small, ancient town of Andersonville, California on Capital Planet, the two acted as the police force, protecting their territory and its people. Buzz met Woody first, sent to the sheriff's town to extract a couple of highly dangerous outlaws terrorizing the area. Soon enough, he met Woody's sister, Jessie. He had never seen someone so beautiful and lively as her and he instantly fell in love, albeit shyly. After an agonizing three years of waiting, Jessie finally got him to admit that fact and quickly found herself wearing an engagement ring.

Growing closely over the years, Buzz eventually learned the two were Lieutenants* in Star Command, acting as secretive "Land-Based" Space Rangers to monitor the planet's surface activity. They eventually transferred to Buzz's team and aided him in missions, such as the one they faced now.

"Lieutenants Mira Nova, Booster, XR, Woodrow Pride, and Jessica Pride will be leading you in regiments." Buzz began again. "You will obey any and all commands given by them. If you wish to express any grievances after the mission, you may write an appeal to me and me alone. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Every ranger answered simultaneously.

"Good." Their captain nodded approvingly. "Head to your stations and await orders. You are dismissed."

After a quick salute, the mass of rangers marched off in lines, safeguarding all platforms, floors, and rooms of the intricate Senate building. Buzz sighed heavily once most of the squad dispersed, trying to calm his anxious nerves. He felt a hand press against his armored shoulder and turned to find Jessie smiling gently at him.

"Everythin' will be alright, you'll see." The cowgirl encouraged. "You are the one leading us."

The ranger returned her smile, but still felt uncertainty eating away at him.

"It just seems…too perfect." He mused. "How could everything be so quiet with such an important political figure arriving? It just unnerves me."

Jessie's expression softened further, sliding her hand down his arm until she caught his hand. She squeezed it lightly, but frowned when she did not feel him return the gesture. Buzz gave her a small pointed look.

"Jess, you know it's against regulation to show affection while on duty." He instructed much more directly than she anticipated. The cowgirl merely raised an eyebrow in response.

"Oh, stop with those silly rules, Buzz." Jessie advised amusedly. "Besides, it's not my fault Commander Nebula forgot to tell you about our bein' in Star Command after we agreed to be together."

"Don't try to reason with him, Jessie." Woody inserted, smirking all the while. "Sir Rulesalot would never think of breaking the regulations he wrote himself."

Buzz's scowl only made the sheriff laugh harder. No matter what situation they were in, Woody would always find a way to make fun of him. Jessie chuckled as well and Buzz gave her a defeated look.

"Oh, relax, captain." The cowgirl asserted, continuing to grasp his hand tightly. "Being too uptight about all of this isn't gonna make it any better. Don't worry; we've got your back."

She winked happily and Buzz couldn't help but squeeze her hand in return. Suddenly, a massive uproar of cheers erupted from the crowds on the streets below and the buildings beside the Senate. Peering out from under the overhang they stood under, the three caught sight of a large cruiser blocking most of their view of the city skyscrapers, carefully descending into a docking bay several hundred feet above their heads. It could only mean one thing.

"The king's arrived." Buzz confirmed, looking to his companions. "Go to your troops. I'll cycle around to check on you. For now, I'm going to take a vantage point near the convoy. You know how to reach me."

"Right, good luck, partner." Woody tipped his hat and ran off to the building's outer platforms.

Jessie lingered for a moment, but eventually let go of his hand. She didn't leave, however, until she gave him a small peck on the cheek. Blushing, Buzz cleared his throat before remembering his mission. Pressing the red activation button on his breast, he ignited his jetpack and launched himself toward the occupied docking bay.

* * *

*Footnotes*

*1 - Think Coruscant in Star Wars.

*2 - Pixar spelled backwards.

*3 - Also think Coruscant in Star Wars.

*4 - I incorporated the US Navy ranking system, as used in Star Trek. In reality, a "commander" is a rank lower than a "captain," technically making Commander Nebula inferior to Buzz. However, we'll just assume Nebula is like a General Commander (doesn't exist) for fictional purposes.


	2. Assault

Just to make a quick note, this is not the same story as "Reunited." I'm still unsure about continuing that story. If this story doesn't really fly, I might switch to that one. It is likely it will get written eventually, though.

* * *

**Assault**

So far, everything proceeded smoothly. The Raxip royal convoy had all ready entered the Senate building and was secured into the enormous assembly room within. The anticipated meeting had finally commenced. The crowd had not dispersed, but luckily the city's extensive police force dealt with them to keep order.

Buzz scanned the area near the front doors leading to the grand foyer of the building. He had cycled through all his officers at least once, Mira Nova being the last for him to visit. She stood next to him, also watching closely for any unwanted activity. Yet, she couldn't help but sigh lightly as she stood guard.

"What?" Buzz asked curiously without looking at her.

"We still have another two days of this." She muttered, continuing to observe the area as well.

"That's what being a Space Ranger is all about, rookie." Buzz smirked as Mira turned to him and glared.

"Geeze, Buzz. How many times?" She cried. "I. Am. Not. A. Rookie! I got promoted six months ago, thank you very much."

"Ok, princess. Relax." He gave her a side-glance, receiving a fiercer glare in return. "Oh, come on. At least that time I was accurate."

"You've been hanging around Woody too much." Mira retorted, crossing her arms. "He's rubbing off on you a little too much."

"Woody's just a hot-head." Mira raised a brow at Buzz's comment, giving him a disbelieving look. "Alright, so am I, but not _as_ bad as Woody."

"How did you two even become the best of friends anyway?" The Tangean questioned. "You're total opposites."

"Well, it's the same with Jessie and I." Buzz shrugged. "I guess opposites attract in ways one would never expect. We actually hated each other at first, but we wound up working well together against that outlaw, Sid "the Kid" Phillips. He even saved my life."

"And soon enough, he's gonna be your brother-in-law." Mira pointed out.

"Yeah and…oh, darn it." Buzz pouted as the princess laughed amusedly.

Suddenly, the ground shook violently, sending everyone, including the pedestrians, to their knees. The roar of an explosion drowned every ensuing scream as stone and glass alike buckled and clashed against one another. A rush of flames added to the noise and its unstoppable power sent pieces of debris flying in various directions at dangerously fast speeds. In a matter of two minutes, a gaping hole scarred the beautiful crafted walls of the Senate building.

Chaos erupted. Cries of terror let loose from the mouths of hundreds of thousands, fleeing the site in complete pandemonium. Buzz shakily picked himself up after being thrown to the ground by the explosion's vibrations. He glanced next to him and noticed Mira holding her head tenderly in her hand as she attempted to get up as well.

"What the hell happened?" She cried over the racket.

"I don't know," Buzz admitted, gritting his teeth. "But I should've."

"Captain!"

The two turned to see a small group of Mira's regiment racing toward them, their suits and faces bearing some dents and scars respectively. When they reached their commanding officers, they helped them up.

"Where are the others?" Mira asked quickly.

"They went to go check on Lieutenant Pride and her division, ma'm." A younger ranger answered.

Buzz froze, his eyes and mouth wide open.

"Jessie…"

Without a second thought, he sprinted madly for the broken front doors, not caring nor hearing anything Mira and the rangers called to him. He dashed into the foyer, which looked worse for wear with its cracked marble flooring and collapsing banisters. People and creatures alike panicked about the room, trying desperately to escape the fires and smoke that consumed the great hall and the library. Yet, such scenes only played in the back of Buzz's mind. He rapidly climbed the grand marble staircase, scaling two steps at a time. Jessie had been stationed on the third floor, near the assembly room where the Senate met.

When he reached his destination, not one person could be found. The assembly room itself looked untouched by the explosion. Its massive doors were slightly ajar, but even as Buzz glanced inside, not a soul occupied it. Only a few Star Command blasters lied abandoned on the floor. However, as he observed the sight at a closer distance, he noticed several ash splotches scarring both the marble walls and the thick wooden table. Several of the glass windows had either shattered or sported a few medium-sized holes. Chairs were flipped and books and papers were strewn about. Buzz could only assume a battle had occurred here before the explosion. But where did everyone go?

"Captain Lightyear!" Buzz turned to see an older ranger call him from the staircase. "Sir, Lieutenant Pride's squadron is on the second floor!"

Although the ranger prepared to lead the way, Buzz quickly overtook him and did not slow down to wait. The second floor was a mess, having taken the brunt of the explosion. Dozens of rangers fought the spreading fire with extinguishers and any water source they could find. Buzz worked his way around them, searching wildly for a red-headed female.

"Where is Lieutenant Pride?" Buzz called to some of the troops around him.

"I'm sorry, sir, but which one?" A nearby female ranger asked breathlessly, causing Buzz to silently seethe with frustration.

"Jessie, where is Jessie?" He clarified heatedly, forgetting the formalities.

"She's right over…oh my gosh…"

Buzz followed the ranger's sudden stunned expression and gaped as well. He found Jessie kneeling at the edge of a broken piece of the floor, hanging above a 300 foot drop to the lower streets below by a mere slate of non-cracked marble. At any moment, she was going to fall.

"Jessie!" Buzz cried fearfully, racing toward her. The floor felt extremely unstable. "Jessie, get over here!"

She did not turn to him or acknowledge him. She did not move from her position. She merely stared with her arm held out, her hair unraveled from her braid, and her emerald eyes wide and blank.

"Jessie, come on!" The captain yelled again, exasperated by her lack of cooperation. "It's going to fall! Hurry!"

The cowgirl turned her head and whatever Buzz was going to say next got caught in his throat. Her appearance looked utterly pale despite the ash and blood staining her smooth features. But what shocked Buzz the most was the complete hopelessness and despair that carved her expression, as if living no longer mattered to her anymore. What the hell _did_ happen?

"Jess, don't do this, please." Buzz begged of her, holding out a trembling hand. "Don't give up. I need you."

Her vacant gaze landed on his hand and he could see some life returning into those emerald eyes. After a long, agonizing moment, she decided to reach for him.

The floor suddenly cracked. Jessie's weight imposed too much pressure on the deep fracture in the stone. Gasping in surprise, she instinctively tried to steady herself by placing her hands on the floor in front of her. That was enough influence to snap the fracture completely, sending her plummeting downward.

* * *

No footnotes, sorry!


	3. What Happened

I'm a drama queen and this is surprisingly short. Two surprises in one day...

* * *

**What Happened**

"Jessie!" Buzz screamed, taking only one second to decide to leap off the edge after her falling form.

They had mere seconds to save themselves. Without a suit, Jessie fell much slower than Buzz and he quickly gained on her. Although using his jet pack would give him greater control of their situation, Buzz knew he did not have enough time for them to activate and for him to grab the cowgirl. Having already passed the Senate building's outer platforms, he realized they were quickly approaching one its lower docking strips, sticking out of the enormous metal platform that suspended the building in the air.

He straightened his body as steeply as he could, desperately holding out his arms to get him another inch closer to Jessie. With only a few feet left, Jessie grasped for him frantically until she finally managed to snatch his fingers. In an instant, Buzz yanked her slim body to his and secured her head against his chest as he spun himself around in mid-air.

His back collided with the platform.

Buzz couldn't even cry out in pain as the impact knocked the wind out of him and threw his neck back against his suit's headrest. His three inch thick, aluminum silicate glass* helmet cracked and a few pieces of his terillium-carbonic alloy* armor split open near his back. His jet pack was entirely crushed, crystallic fuel leaking into a silvery pool beside him.

It took him several minutes to regain full consciousness, feeling his body shaking violently on its own. For a moment, he forgot everything that happened, but quickly remembered why an agonizing rush of pain spread swiftly from his back. He continued to shake uncontrollably, but when he reluctantly opened his eyes, he realized a hysterical cowgirl had been causing the disturbance.

"Buzz, please wake up." She cried loudly. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Jess, I'm all right." Buzz managed to speak, relieved to see her unhurt. "A little winded, but all right."

His suit had saved them from the 40 or so feet they actually fell. He cringed as he tried to sit up, placing a tender hand on his aching back, but every other part of his body felt fine and functioned normally. Jessie grabbed his arms and helped him. Retracting his helmet, he began to massage his neck while checking over his fiancé. A fresh cut glowed red on her cheek from where her face collided with his suit, accompanied by several bruises and nicks. She unconsciously rubbed her shoulder and winced occasionally, but other than those details, she seemed all right.

They sat quietly for a minute, idly listening to the sirens of ambulances and fire shuttles raging above them. The ruckus was interrupted, however, by soft sobs. Jessie hung her head as tears spilled from her eyes. She held her hands together tightly in her lap as the tears solemnly dripped upon them.

Buzz watched her trembling form with deep concern, knowing her distress was not caused only by their fall. Frowning, the ranger slipped off a glove and gently rested his bare hand against the cowgirl's cheek. She merely leaned against his touch, too miserable and exhausted to move. She began to sob harder as the silence continued.

"What on earth happened, Jessie?" Buzz asked, completely bewildered and worried.

"H-he…" She choked, her hysterics still consuming her. "H-he's…"

"Start from the beginning." The captain advised, grasping her hands firmly before she could nervously attack her hair. "What happened after I checked up on you?"

"Th-the meeting started jus' fine." Jessie began, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "Everything was quiet for awhile. Then I heard someone yell outside and something crashed through a window nearby. I still don't really know what it was, but it wasn't a livin' thing. It must have been a droid, but a large one at that. It had dozens of weapons and before any of us could react, it killed about ten rangers. I ordered some troops inside the assembly room and had them escort the King and the Senators through the secret door. We tried to hold the assassin off, but he was so darn fast and so strong, he eventually got past us and barged into the room."

Jessie took another shuddering breath, her grip tightening on Buzz's hands as she prepared to continue. He rubbed the back of her hands with his thumb, trying his best to comfort her.

"Woody and his troops soon joined mine. Luckily, every official got outta the room before we began fightin' the droid inside. I got held back some as the droid headed down to the second floor to find the royal convoy, but Woody followed him." Her voice caught and her lip quivered again, trying hard to force the rest of the story out. "That droid was unstoppable. Nothin' we threw at it worked. But Woody somehow got it close enough to the edge of the building to push it off when it just…exploded. The walls fell and the floor collapsed and so many people fell. When I went looking to help…I saw…I saw Woody danglin' on a piece of the floor. H-He looked at me, knowing I-I couldn't help him, and he…"

Buzz's grip fell limp. No, it couldn't be possible.

"H-He's gone, Buzz." Jessie whimpered. "H-He ain't comin' back…I…I can't…"

Buzz quickly pulled her into his arms just as she broke down completely. Clutching him desperately, the cowgirl dug her face into his neck and bawled, crying aloud in anger and sorrow. Still in shock, Buzz simply rubbed her back, not having any clue on how to comfort his fiancé. Woody Pride, her brother, her guardian, and her last surviving family member was dead.

* * *

*1 - That is actually the type of glass used on the space shuttles.  
*2 - Buzz says his wings are made out of this "metal" in the original Toy Story.


	4. Holding On

Fluff, nuff said.

* * *

**Holding On**

"_Buzz? Buzz where are you? Are you all right?"_

Buzz's arm communicator relayed both Booster's worried voice and severe levels of static. Sighing dejectedly, he wrapped an arm tighter around Jessie as he lifted the other toward his mouth.

"Y-yeah, Boost." He tried to keep his voice steady. "We're all right."

"_We? Who else is with you?"_

Buzz risked a glance at Jessie for a moment.

"Jessie's with me." He answered. "We're on docking strip C. We fell from the second floor."

"_You fell?" _Booster exclaimed. "_No wonder why those rangers are freaking out. Don't you worry, Buzz! We'll be there in a second." _

"Thanks, Booster." Buzz replied as the communicator clicked off.

He once again wrapped his arm around Jessie's waist, pulling her closer to him, practically having her sit on his lap. She continued to weep heavily as he gingerly ran his fingers through her knotted hair. He desperately wanted to relieve her pain, but he couldn't help but admit he felt the same. Woody had been his best friend, a brother of sorts. The cowboy had taught him to truly enjoy life instead of dedicating every moment to regulation and duty. He led the ranger to Jessie and even allowed him to court her because he trusted him and only him with her well-being. He had even agreed to be Buzz's best man at their wedding, just as the ranger had been at his.

Buzz sucked in a sharp breath. How was he going to tell Bo? Married only a year, the sheriff and his wife expected to live a long and happy life together. He could only imagine Bo's reaction. Heck, he nearly experienced the same as Jessie fell toward her own death moments ago. Whoever had planned to ruin the excellent day had succeeded greatly.

The captain let out a shuttering sigh, begging every muscle in his face to withhold the tears threatening to fall. Jessie leaned her entire body weight against him, the rest of her energy completely spent. Buzz placed his lips against her temple, hoping the pressure would, not only ease her somewhat, but also discourage the sobs caught in his throat.

He needed to be strong for her. No matter how tough, how lively the cowgirl could get, her emotions would always control her demeanors. They ran so deep inside her heart, making everything more real and meaningful. It was a trait he lacked, but he would forever support it nonetheless. He loved her to his very core and he would never give up on that feeling.

"I can't do this, Buzz."

Jessie's weak whisper actually managed to startle Buzz. He gazed at her face, still hidden somewhat in the crook of his neck.

"Can't do what?"

"I can't keep going like this."

Buzz furrowed his brow nervously.

"Like what?"

"I just can't be a Space Ranger anymore, Buzz." Jessie admitted through a sob.

That time, he leaned away to get a better look at her. His expression filled with confusion and concern.

"What?" He asked with disbelief.

"I can't, not after all of this." She lifted her head to face him fully. "I can't stand to see anyone else…get hurt. There were so many today alone. I'm not made for this…"

Fresh tears once again streaked her dirty features. Buzz couldn't say he didn't feel disappointed at first, but he could understand her limits. She came from a small, isolated town where outlaws were arrested and jailed for trivial offenses. Once in a while, a death would occur, but never at the scale Space Rangers faced almost daily. She loved the life of animals and of the environments surrounding her. She was roped into a lifestyle that ignored such things. An unfortunate incident occurred in her town with an intergalactic criminal that encouraged her to become someone she was not. She had been taken away from all she adored and Buzz could not help but feel she suffered. It wound up killing her brother, after all.

Buzz pressed his lips to hers and enclosed his arms around her, willing to swallow her pain if it meant to end her misery. She slowly responded, kissing back more on impulse than desire. The ranger kept it simple, however, pulling back after a few moments and resting his forehead against hers.

"Jess, you do what you need to do for yourself." He advised. "I will always support your decisions. I won't ever abandon you."

Jessie did not smile, but gratefulness shimmered in her gaze. She whimpered slightly as she enveloped him in another embrace, clinging to him as if she were afraid he would disappear at any moment. Buzz settled easily into her arms, content with just sitting there with her for the rest of their lives.

"Captain Lightyear!"

Buzz slowly craned his head to his left, sighting a small entourage of Space Rangers jogging toward them with Booster and XR leading the pack. He sighed heavily; explanations would need to be made soon.

"Buzz, you're ok!" Booster cheered, obviously missing his captain's distressed expression.

"Look at you, buddy!" XR interjected carelessly. "Not even a 40 foot drop can stop you, huh? Though, personally, I would've used my jet pack for obvious reasons, but man, you like to be the daredevil, dontcha?"

Buzz ignored both of their comments, having neither the patience nor the stomach to address them. He noticed several medics among the rescue group and wished to see them first before leaving to check over the damage done by the explosion. He turned to Jessie, realizing she had not cared to acknowledge the dinosaur and the robot either. He sighed, closing his eyes as he attempted to make his face expressionless.

"We need to assess the damage done to the Senate building." The captain explained in a low, monotone voice. "Then we need to have Star Command send out the investigation teams to gather intel on the situation. But we most definitely need to provide the highest security for the Raxip King until he returns home. Our day just got longer, gentlemen. I suggest we figure this out quickly before something worse occurs."

He did not leave room for any response. Not knowing how much longer he could keep his emotions neutral in front of his two team members, he hastily lifted Jessie as smoothly as he could into his arms and headed straight for the medics. He hated to coldly isolate his friends from the truth, but he knew they would find out eventually. He simply proceeded to task the medics with checking over Jessie's condition before heading back up alone to the Senate floors, reluctantly awaiting the gruesome sights he would see.

* * *

No Footnotes


	5. Sacrifice

This is actually an update, not a chapter that was a part of the story before it was deleted by my computer. Enjoy!

* * *

**Sacrifice**

"And the confirmed death toll amounts to 23 space rangers, 248 civilians, 42 employees, and 12 Galactic Alliance senators, Commander Nebula."

"Damnit." The elderly officer cursed, massaging his temples firmly with a hand.

The past three days had been completely chaotic for Star Command. The investigation grew more and more complex as time passed as several of their detective teams had to gather all evidence pertaining to the explosion and the encounter that occurred in the assembly room. Their first priority had been to question the Raxip convoy, the senators, and the civilians of what they witnessed, if anything, of the droid assassin.

"Are we still unsure about where that droid came from?" The commander implored quietly.

"We are, sir." The young ensign replied. "When it initiated its self-destruct, its body imploded into thousands of pieces. Its creator took great caution to ensure his identity remained a secret."

"Are the teams still looking for the pieces?"

"Yes, sir. Clean-up is delayed until every piece is found."

"Good, at least something is going right." Nebula muttered. "You are dismissed, ranger. Come back if there is any more news."

"Yes, sir."

The ranger turned to leave his commanding officer, but wound up walking into someone standing in the doorway. When he looked up, he immediately saluted in surprise.

"Captain Lightyear, sir!"

Tiredly, Buzz saluted the officer and gave him a small nod.

"At ease, ranger." He commanded lightly. "You may continue on your way."

He stepped out of the doorway and let the ensign pass him. Buzz watched for a moment as the kid marched down the hallway before closing the door behind him.

"Well, Lightyear." Commander Nebula greeted. "I see you're still in one piece."

Buzz winced but he proceeded to walk over to his commander's desk and heavily sat down in one of the chairs across from it. On rough weeks, Commander Nebula would allow the captain to shrug off formalities and act as if they were equal in rank. When he heard about Buzz's own loss, he resolved to be as hospitable as possible for his friend's sake. Besides, the Star Command prodigy had saved him and his job several times in the past ten years.

"So, um…" The elderly man did not know what to say to his distressed captain. "How's the fiancé? Is she alright? I heard you two had a nasty fall."

"Yes, she's fine."

Buzz nearly laughed humorlessly at his lie. Everyone and everything knew Jessie was far from fine.

When he had returned to the disaster site after handing the cowgirl over to the medical staff, he had collapsed in agony as a searing pain rushed upon him. Upon closer inspection, it appeared he had bruised his back severely after saving Jessie from her fall and sprained his spine slightly. The cowgirl herself had a sprained ankle and green bruises dotting her legs. Thus, the medics transferred them to the Star Command base's medical bay to receive treatment. Mira, Booster, and XR stayed on planet to lead the investigation.

Ever since they arrived, however, Jessie remained silent in her hospital bed. The only time she would speak to anyone was when the doctors asked her questions. She would talk to one person only, Buzz. Everyone who knew her missed her energy and her enthusiasm, but once the news about Woody's death finally spread among the masses, they understood and mourned for her loss. Yet, Jessie merely ignored them and lingered in her thoughts the majority of the time.

"I see." Nebula mused solemnly. "Well, the investigation is almost through. It would go ten times quicker if the damn media would quit sticking their nose in places where it doesn't belong. I'm surprised they haven't blamed Star Command yet for–"

"Have they found him yet?" Buzz cut him off abruptly, albeit quietly.

"Who?"

"Have they found…" The captain sighed heavily. "Woody?"

Commander Nebula exhaled, digging his fingers gently in his eyes.

"I have not heard anything, but I don't believe so." He answered truthfully. "I can assure you though, the ground below where Jessica said he fell was completely clean. There was nothing there and a team of twenty went down to search too."

Buzz furrowed his brow, unsure of what to think. Jessie witnessed Woody fall 300 feet to the streets below, but not a trace of him could be found _anywhere._ Yet, the cowboy had not revealed he was alive in three days either. Buzz could not help but run a few scenarios through his mind, but he nearly shuttered at every one of them. Maybe he should change the subject a bit.

"Commander, I must discuss something with you," The captain began carefully, "something about Jessie."

His commanding officer merely raised an eyebrow, waiting for Buzz to continue.

"She wishes to resign from Star Command."

"Well, that was expected…" Nebula sighed heavily, but Buzz felt thoroughly surprised.

"It was?"

"Yes. In fact I had expected her to say something much sooner." The commander mused. "I regret to say that I unfairly convinced her and Sheriff Pride to join because of what they had seen and encountered. Call it a fool's mistrust in the general public in keeping our secrets safe. I've noticed for months now how uncomfortable and unhappy the two had been being Space Rangers. I had half the nerve to relieve them myself."

Buzz furrowed his brow. How come he never noticed that? Sure, he knew his world had been different to them and rather hard to grow accustomed to, but he never would have deemed them unhappy. Heck, Jessie told him herself it was perfect because she could exert her skills and be around him almost all the time. Yet, he felt he should have noticed, should have sensed it immediately.

Did he selfishly believe she _was_ all right to keep her close, to keep her in Star Command? He shamefully could not help but feel that fact was true.

"Sir, I feel I should resign as well." Buzz announced before his thoughts even finished.

Silence. No, he did not think about the consequences of what he said before he said it, but the captain knew it would hit home very quickly. He could barely believe he said the statement himself.

"You what?" Nebula asked quietly, his voice restraining his rage.

Buzz winced but did not falter. The more he hearkened to his thoughts, the more assured he became. He breathed in deeply.

"I need to resign as well. I do not want to, nor did I ever expect things to come to this, but it needs to be done."

"I'm missing your point, Lightyear." Uh oh, he was back on the last name basis.

"My point is, sir, that Jessie just lost her last family member, her guardian." Buzz explained, his azure eyes stern and sure. "She's alone, left to be taken care of by no one. Yes, she inherits her family's land and money, but only a part of it goes to her since Woody was married. The jobs she can acquire back in her home town do not serve women well and she cannot support herself alone, at least, not for a while. She cannot survive in the cities because she knows near to nothing about our advanced world, only about the various weapons Star Command provides. I'm sorry, sir, but as her fiancé, I feel it is my duty to care for and protect her at all costs, even if it means giving up my rank."

Silence again. Buzz feigned a heavy sigh as he could sense the anger radiating off the man before him. He would not give in to pressure that easily, however.

"Are you crazy?" Nebula finally exploded. "Are you out of your mind? You're just gonna give up everything you worked so hard, so long for? You're the greatest Space Ranger the Galactic Alliance has ever had and you're willing to abandon us for your 'duties' as a fiancé?"

"I never said it was a decision I agreed with, nor one I would ever want to commend to, but it has to be done." Buzz tried to calmly explain himself despite the deafening volcanic eruption raging in front of him.

"Has to–" His commander paused. "Listen, son. There are dozens of other ways to do this! You can still support her as a ranger! She can live on planet while you continue to do your job up here, just like any normal soldier in the army would! Heck, she can live on base here just like dozens of other families! What about those options, Buzz?"

"Commander, you said it yourself," The captain countered, his own anger beginning to flare. "She has been unhappy, uncomfortable since she became a Space Ranger. I feel that part of that is my fault. I wanted her to stay a ranger like me, to have the pride, the glory, and the strength that I had. I was selfish because deep down, I knew this wasn't where she or Woody belonged, but I ignored that fact. I ignored it for too long and look what happened!" Buzz shot to his feet and rammed a fist on the desk before him. "Her last surviving family member, her brother, my _best friend_ is dead because of it! I'm _not_ letting that happen again, especially not to her!"

He breathed heavily, both physically and emotionally exhausted. He shook slightly from all the pent up anger, frustration, and sadness he exerted at himself and felt as if he were about to lose it. He did not want to give up everything, he would never want to, but he would never ignore someone who needed him. He was done.

"I'm not going to force her to give up the life she wants to live for _my_ sake anymore. I'm done being selfish. I resign my position as a Star Command Captain."

With that, he spun on his heel and marched out of the room.


	6. To the Future

Yeah, idk. I think that, once I'm done with these stories, I'm sticking with one-shots. I wanna write more of them as toys again.

Anyways, here's to a random update!

Reminders:

This world is different than the one in "To Be Continued." Here, Earth = Capital Planet.

And Lancaster is an actual city in California. It's a nice looking place and it's got some pretty interesting history, if you wanna google it.

**EDIT (1/7): **Switched Andersonville with Lancaster. Andersonville is now Jessie's hometown.

* * *

**To the Future**

"What stop is it?"

"The next one, Lancaster. We can hitch a ride on a buggy and reach Andersonville that way."

Buzz raised a confused eyebrow.

"What's a –"

"A buggy's like a taxi or a speeder." Jessie explained as she sat idly beside him. "A local set up a system where he totes townsfolk to and from Andersonville for profit. He's gotten quite rich from it too."

Her fiancé nodded slowly, looking back to the train schedule in his hands. The train they sat on then had been the fourth one they had taken that day, having to weave through different routes just to reach the isolated western towns of the Californian deserts. They had gone from a crystallic bullet train all the way down to an ancient steam engine locomotive during that time, the technology growing more archaic as they traveled further from Capital Planet's major cities.

Buzz had never visited the depths of the boondocks before, having no understanding of what life was like there. Jessie knew well enough, of course, and tried to tell him about how things ran in her hometown of Andersonville. He needed to know as much as possible, considering the fact that he would be living with her there from then on.

Yet, she expected things to be different since the last time she had visited her home two years ago. Their sheriff had taken leave of them for some time, as Jessie knew too well, and had left his deputy, Jim "Slinky" Verny, to take control. Woody had known Slinky for long time and trusted his friend with the town's safety until he returned…

'But he ain't returnin.'' Jessie thought to herself bitterly. 'And I'm sure so many things have gone wrong since he left. Why did he have to follow me to Star Command? I told him he was needed in Andersonville more…'

"Jess?"

The cowgirl snapped out of her daze to face Buzz, who stood with their bags in hand. He gave her a concerned look.

"We're here." He informed her.

"Oh."

She stood up quickly, grabbing the last of their luggage on the seat across from them. Avoiding Buzz's gaze as she got herself situated, she soon began to head off the train. When they reached the wooden train station platforms, they stopped for a moment to take in their surroundings.

Buzz could finally say he understood how Jessie felt when she had first arrived at Star Command five years prior. Lost. Utterly lost and uneasy. Everything around him looked so different, felt so unreal.

The modern age had never even touched the town he stood in. Everything was made of wood or brick, not metal or stone. There were no skyscrapers blocking out the vast sky, no paved streets lining the small buildings, and no technology present anywhere. Andersonville had been trapped in the ancient 1880's, when Capital Planet was still called Earth. The people dressed in outdated fashions - the men wearing embroidered vests, cotton slacks, leather hats, and frock coats; the women wearing poufy dresses, buckled heels, and extravagant, floral millineries. Jessie and Woody had told him plenty of stories, for sure, but nothing compared to actually witnessing what they so often described.

"We better hurry," Jessie advised, shifting a bag onto her shoulder. "If we want to get to Andersonville before nightfall, we better find a buggy now."

Buzz nodded and followed her. She moved quite swiftly through the crowd despite the heavy load she carried and the two-week-old injuries that dotted her legs from their near-death experience. He still had some trouble moving around with his bruised spine, but tried his best to not show discomfort on his part. He figured his resolve as of late seemed quite irrational, especially when it concerned his personal needs, but he remained adamant about his recent decisions.

Commander Nebula refused to even look at him after he declared his resignation and everyone on the Star Command base seemed to notice the unexpected rift between the two officers. However, they both vowed to keep the declaration secret from the rest of the base, figuring it would only diminish morale. The only rangers who wound up knowing were his team. XR and Booster reacted to the news in their typical ways, but Mira seemed to understand his dilemma, explaining she faced similar circumstances whenever she had to take on her role as the Tangean Princess. In the end, she merely wished to keep in touch.

That was how he left Star Command, preparing to start over in a brand new place.

The young couple eventually found a buggy heading toward Andersonville. Once they packed themselves inside the four-wheeled carriage, their driver set off on their three hour voyage.

They remained silent for quite some time, Buzz fiddling with his fingers as Jessie stared out the glassless window to the desert surrounding them. He glanced at her occasionally, but she never looked back. He tried his hardest not to sigh heavily when his efforts to catch her attention proved useless.

As of late, the cowgirl was almost always quiet and forlorn, gazing far off into the distance and seeing nothing but the thoughts in her mind. She did not pay attention to the world around her as much as she used to. Her natural vivacity rarely showed up anymore, trapped under heavy blankets of sorrow. She began to seclude herself from everyone, including Buzz.

Her changes did not irritate him, though. It only made him more troubled and worried.

"Do you recognize this area?" He tried to start up some conversation, anything to break the uneasy silence inside the carriage.

"Not really." Jessie answered softly. "Only Woody would ever come out this far from Andersonville."

Buzz swallowed hard. He hadn't planned on bringing Woody into the conversation, knowing that anything relating to the sheriff was considered taboo. Silence soon descended upon them again as Buzz tried to think of a new approach.

"Bo said she was going to make us a big meal for when we arrive." He informed as optimistically as he could. "She's eager to see you again."

"Have you told her?"

His positive mood instantly faded, a deep frown plaguing his features. He gloomily remembered that conversation too well.

"Yes I did." Buzz responded quietly. "I felt she had the right to know as soon as possible."

Jessie only nodded, still not looking toward him. He stared at her for several moments, waiting to see if she actually would turn her attention away from the window, but she didn't. He sighed somewhat irritably as silence accompanied them once again.

"Why?"

The simple question caught Buzz off guard, leaving him a little unsure about whether or not he had actually heard Jessie speak. Yet, when she finally turned away from the window and stared straight ahead with an uncertain gaze, he realized she had.

"Why, what?" The former ranger asked, confused.

"Why did you do that?" She reiterated softly and continued before Buzz could question her further. "Why did you give up everything?"

He furrowed his brow. He had waited two weeks for her opinion on his decision to resign from Star Command. When he first told her, she said nothing, letting her troubled expression speak for itself. As he set up plans for them to return to her home, she merely went along with him, never bringing up any disagreements. It seemed she finally built up enough courage to voice her thoughts.

"Jess, I wasn't going to let you face this on your own." Buzz admitted as if it were obvious. "Like I told you on the parking dock, I'm not going to abandon you."

"But they still need you." Jessie replied. "You're Star Command's greatest Space Ranger, why would you give up such an important role just for me?"

Buzz smiled gently and took a hold of her right hand, fiddling with the engagement ring on her ring finger. The cowgirl watched him for a moment before sighing heavily, seemingly defeated.

"I feel so selfish…" She muttered.

The former ranger raised an eyebrow at that comment. No, he never told her the real reason for giving up his command, that he himself felt selfish about convincing her to be a Space Ranger. He found it quite ironic, though, that she felt the same after the fact.

"Why would you feel like that?" He asked distractedly, still caught up in his thoughts.

"I jus' feel like I'm keepin' you away from something you love." Jessie answered quietly. "It's like Woody told me once, 'you can love someone unconditionally, but they're not your toys to own.' It's unfair and I don't want you to feel like you have to do this for me. I can take care of myself."

Buzz chuckled lightly before planting a chaste kiss on her forehead, giving her a confident look as he pulled back. The skies in his eyes gazed intently at the grasses in hers, trying to reassure her worries.

"I chose to resign on my own." He stated firmly. "I did not feel comfortable or content with leaving you alone. I know you are more than capable of taking care of yourself, but I needed to make sure you would be all right. I would not be able to sit around in Star Command and not know. And yes, I feel this way because I love you, Jess, but believe me when I say I chose to do this because I felt it was the right thing to do."

"Even though you're going to try to live a life you know nothin' about?" Jessie asked uncertainly.

"That's what you did."

The cowgirl paused, not knowing what to say. She merely closed her eyes, remembering her first bewildering day at Star Command. Buzz intertwined their fingers as she reminisced, emphasizing his point.

"You made a major sacrifice for me," He stated quietly, "and although it might sound unfair, it only seems right for me to make the same sacrifice, especially during a time like this."

Jessie did not argue and found that she couldn't as tears spilled down her cheeks. She tried her hardest to suppress her sobs, growing tired of constantly feeling upset. She rested her pounding head on her fiancé's shoulder and shut her eyes tight.

"I just want all of this to end." She whispered.

Buzz wrapped his arms around her tenderly and settled his head on top of hers.

"It will eventually."

* * *

By the time they arrived at Andersonville, the sun had long set below the horizon. The open desert seemed like a void of blackness since the moon had only a quarter left of light to give. However, their carriage soon pulled up to a large ranch at the end of town, a home belonging to the Pride family for generations. The candles in its windows still shinned brightly despite the time rolling into the later hours of the night. It was comforting, though, to see the ranch so lively.

Jessie had fallen asleep naught an hour ago. Buzz held her close as he remained awake, too preoccupied with an onslaught of thoughts that had raided his mind after their conversation. Yet, the carriage driver's announcement of their arrival broke his pensive stupor. He looked out the window for a moment before turning toward the cowgirl sleeping on him.

"Jessie, we're here."

He gently stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, prompting her to wake. She opened her eyes and tiredly gazed out the window toward her home. When she finally realized where she was, she sat up and stretched slightly. Without another word, the two freed themselves of the carriage to grab their luggage.

While they unpacked, the door to the ranch flew open and let loose a beam of light that fell upon their darkened forms. Jessie and Buzz glanced up to see a thin figure rushing out of the house toward them, her skirts billowing about her hidden legs. The cowgirl dropped the bags she was holding and stepped forward to meet with her sister-in-law, quite excited to see the blonde again.

The two women practically collided, but neither cared as they enveloped the other in a tight hug. They held onto one another for several moments, long enough for the buggy to ride off and for Buzz to drag over the luggage to where they stood.

"Oh, Bo…" Jessie sighed, recognizing the sense of loss they shared. "It'll be all right, you'll see."

The cowgirl pulled away to look at the shepherdess, but noticed the deep sorrow etched on her pretty features. Tears snaked down her pale cheeks as she stared intently at the ground. Jessie could tell there was more to the feeling Bo conveyed than just the loss of her husband.

"What is it, Bo? What's wrong?"

Bo swallowed hard and composed herself the best she could. She looked at the cowgirl with watery, glossy blue eyes.

"The judge is taking the ranch away from us."


	7. Wills

So, yeah, random update. Wanted to get this up before school starts because I won't update much after that.

There's a lot of legal info in here, but I'm not sure if it's right (at all). But whatev, it sounded good. ;)

Notice: Switched Andersonville with Lancaster. Andersonville is now Jessie's hometown.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Wills**

"I want an explanation, now!"

"Easy, Jess."

"No. I'm tired of sittin' back and watchin'!" The cowgirl hissed. "I wanna know why ya hogs are takin' the ranch from us!"

Buzz winced again as Jessie yelled for the umpteenth time that day, realizing her accent was much more noticeable when she was angry. Of course, she had every right to be considering their current situation.

The Pride Ranch, the only home Jessie and Bo Pride had, was to be taken from them in a day's time. The cowgirl had barely gotten a chance to sleep before she went to the Andersonville courthouse at sunrise to demand an audience with the judge. Since she was the sheriff's sister, they could not ignore her 'request' and agreed to see her.

Thus currently, Jessie, Buzz, and Bo stood opposite the town's presiding judge, the court's head prosecutor, and the court's plaintiff, waiting for an answer and an explanation. The judge, an elderly but sympathetic man, sighed as Jessie's last round of yells stopped echoing around the empty courtroom.

"Miss Pride, I do hate to bring this controversy up so soon after Sheriff Pride's death, God bless his soul," He began quietly, clasping his hands together, "but this is something that cannot be ignored any longer."

Jessie glared, but held her tongue as she saw the judge open his mouth again.

"For several weeks now, we have conversed with several other people about the issue and inheritance of Pride Ranch until we finally attained all the information from the administrator himself."

"Administrator?" Bo questioned. "Administrator for what?"

"For - actually, let me have him come out." The judge decided. "Mr. Lotson!"

The door behind the witness' stand opened at the call and, from beyond it, a tall, portly man stepped into the courtroom. He lumbered forward, using a maple polished cane to help him walk on his flabby legs. He wore an enlarged but elegant black suit with black, polished shoes and a silk top hat that nearly matched the sheen of the leather briefcase he was holding.

Yet, the richness of his clothing could not compensate for the sight of his face. The man's wrinkled, plump skin looked almost pink, as if its top layers had been burned or rubbed off. His eyes seemed even more unnatural as he glanced over the occupants in the room, his irises having more of a reddish tinge than hazel. When his gaze met Jessie's, she narrowed her eyes with alarm and warning.

An unnerving glint had sparkled in his eye for a second.

"This is Mr. Ned Lotson. He is the administrator for the will and testament of Sheriff Pride.*" The judge concluded.

Lotson bowed his head in greeting, a jolly smile quickly on his face.

"Hello there."

"Wait a minute, this is a matter of my family's wills?" Jessie cried incredulously. "That's ridiculous! I'm Woody's sister and Bo his wife! We should automatically get half of his property each!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Pride, but neither you nor Mrs. Pride is consented to receive that land." Lotson informed gruffly.

"What?"

"Your brother did not give either of you his consent to own his land." The plump man continued, taking the spotlight. "A woman can only inherit land when the man of the property gives her permission to have it.*"

Buzz furrowed his brow. That was the law of this town? He couldn't believe how old fashioned and out-of-date it was. They were enforcing ancient prejudices! The former ranger himself knew some women who owned more valuable property than ten men combined in the modern cities of Capital Planet. It appalled him to hear that Jessie and Bo, two of the strongest women he knew, could not rightfully receive the land they deserved.

But he stayed quiet.

"That's not true!" Bo suddenly cried, stepping up beside Jessie. "When Woody was making his will, he always consulted with me about who would get what and who the land would go to! He and I practically made that will together! He gave both me and Jessie permission!"

The judge sighed heavily, a sympathetic expression passing over his old features as he looked at the two desperate women.

"The reason why you weren't given consent was because Sheriff Pride's will is invalid."

Jessie's jaw dropped.

"Invalid?" She asked. "Why?"

"In order for a will to be valid, two witnesses need to confirm that the person writing it is the person for whom the will is for."* Lotson explained, leaning on his cane. "If they do not, then the will is dead. Unfortunately for Sheriff Pride, only one of his witnesses confirmed the will was his."

The cowgirl remained silent. So everything that Woody had planned for them to inherit was now going to some other relative, some other person who could care less about what actually happened to her brother. Her distant family had never come to visit, never given a friendly letter, never showed any acknowledgement of their existence. Yet, now that the ranch and its adjoining farms were available, they jumped on it like a frog on a rock.

She had meant it when she said Woody had been her last family member alive. She would never consider her other selfish relations family.

"Who is receiving the land?" Bo asked quietly from beside the cowgirl, trying to keep the tremors in her voice minimal at best.

"Miss Pride's uncle, Peter Pride." Lotson announced loudly. "He's a Prospector in Lancaster. He plans on arriving here tomorrow to sign the necessary papers and retrieve the deed."

Jessie narrowed her eyes and balled her hands into fists. The administrator's casual and jolly tone was utterly irritating.

"I can't believe you're talkin' about this like it's some story you tell your farmhands every mornin'." She hissed quietly, glaring from underneath her red, leather hat. "This isn't something that just happens that can be easily forgotten about the next day! My brother, you're sheriff, is dead and you're not showing any remorse or empathy! You're ready to just throw his wife and sister, the two people he wanted to inherit the ranch, out onto the streets and fend for themselves without regret! Is this really what this town has come to since we left? Have you lost your humanity?"

An uncomfortable pause of silence followed after her cries finished echoing across the large room. The judge, prosecutor, and plaintiff shared ashamed expressions as they considered her words. Lotson, however, still wore an unsympathetic smile on his lips, his fat cheeks squishing his amused eyes to slits.

"I'm sorry, Miss Pride, but the law is the law." He mocked. "You need to move out by sundown tomorrow."

Buzz barely had enough time to rush forward and grab Jessie by the arm before she launched herself at the administrator. While she furiously flung curses about, the former Space Ranger wrapped an arm firmly around her waist to make sure she didn't actually attack the portly man. Sighing, he looked up to the worried judge.

"Sir, is there no other way for us to inherit the ranch?"

The judge shook his head slowly at first, but quickly raised his eyebrows as an unseen thought came to him.

"Actually, there is!" He exclaimed. "Mr. Pride, Woody and Jessie's father, had something in his will that could make that so! His is valid and since Sheriff Pride's isn't, it should still be applicable! Lotson, do you have his will with you?"

Suddenly much more irritated than content, the administrator reached down to pick up his leather briefcase. After sifting through the files within it for a moment, he pulled out a packet of tacked papers. Putting on his wired glasses, Lotson looked through the words written on the pages. He stopped reading abruptly on the second page.

"Yes, there is something here." He muttered darkly.

Jessie's eyes widened, her demeanor suddenly more hopeful than angry. She slipped a hand into one of Buzz's and squeezed with anxiety.

"Well, read it, man!" The judge called to a cross Lotson.

"It says: 'My son, Woodrow Thomas Pride, will inherit Pride Ranch upon the hour of my death, as well as all of its belongings and all its farm acres. My daughter, Jessica Joan Pride, however, can only inherit Pride Ranch if she is over twenty-one years of age and…is married.'"

The cowgirl's hope diminished in an instant. She was twenty-three, she met the age requirement, but the only thing she lacked was the marriage status. Buzz's grip on her waist had tightened after the last word; she knew he had realized the same.

They turned to look at each other, both of their expressions uncertain and troubled. Holding each other's gaze for a moment, they silently made a decision, one they were not entirely prepared for.

They didn't have another choice.

"How much time do we have to get married?" Jessie finally asked.

The judge sat silent for a moment, not sure about what to say. Lotson, however, had no issue with giving them a straight answer.

"Twenty hours."

* * *

*1 - An administrator for a will and testament is someone who delegates the inheritance of an estate when the owner did not create a will or did not have a valid will. (wikipedia)

*2 - This was true in the United States until about 1911. (wikipedia)

*3 - Even in today's wills, if the issued amount of witnesses do not confirm a will, the will is not validated. The number of witnesses varies with each state in the US. (primary sources)


	8. Seventeen

What is this? An update? No way. It's impossible.

Yes, after a long, _long _second semester of college, I am back! Free for the summer, which means more updates! Yay! :D I plan on finishing this story this summer, thus the need for an update. This chapter is a bit boring, I guess. Just talk and emotional filler. This story really has turned out that way in my mind, but I can't figure out how to make it any more... interesting. It's mainly focused on character development and emotions, so if that's not really for you, try reading my other stories. Also, I'm trying to come up with a new story, one that's more action-packed-ish. So stay tuned!

Thank you for reading! Review please!

* * *

**Seventeen**

Seventeen hours to go.

Buzz groaned slightly at the thought, grinding his palms further into his eye sockets in a vain attempt to rid his eyes of their fatigued pain. He sat alone in the kitchen of the Pride Ranch, having given up on trying to swallow his breakfast. The mid-morning sun shining through the thin, curtained window gave him no solace as it caused him to sweat slightly under his cotton shirt, his body unaccustomed to the desert heat. Yet, his mind did not focus on the world around him but within, where uncomfortable thoughts swirled about like an ocean current.

After the escapade at the courthouse, he, Jessie, and Bo went straight to the town church to ask the priest presiding there for a matrimony ceremony. The British-born Father Prickle, or Pricklepants, as many affectionately dubbed him, almost disagreed to conduct one on such short notice. Yet, Bo persuaded him with a mere comparison of Buzz and Jessie's situation to Romeo and Juliet's, knowing the priest as a Shakespearean enthusiast. Eventually intrigued by their story and sympathetic about their troubles, Pricklepants finally agreed. The ceremony could not occur until the next morning, though, due to his busy schedule of masses and sermon speeches.

Thus, the couple had to wait until the last two hours of their twenty-hour limit to marry. Buzz, always punctual and never a procrastinator, hated having to wait for the last minute. He was constantly on edge and unnerved. Throughout his years as a Space Ranger, he learned that waiting to launch an attack or perform a mission caused devastating results. An entire planet had once disintegrated because they were two minutes too late. Anything could happen right before the ceremony to make them late, to have the whole thing canceled and ruin their chances of keeping the ranch. They had seventeen hours. Why couldn't they just get it over with now?

"Not hungry?"

Buzz lifted his head from his palms, his eyesight a little disoriented from the brightness of the room. Bo gave him a sympathetic smile as she glided into the kitchen and placed two plates into the sink.

"I don't think I could eat anything right now." Buzz confessed with a sigh, looking over his food indifferently.

"Understandable." The shepherdess agreed as she picked up the ranger's full plate of eggs and sausage. "I literally had to force Jessie to eat hers."

"How did you manage to do that?"

"I threatened to put make-up on her while she slept for the marriage tomorrow." Bo notified casually as Buzz let out a hearty chuckle. "I barely managed to get her to nap too. She's just so worked up about the wedding."

"I can relate." Buzz sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "It was unexpected."

"Is it really that upsetting?" Bo asked, turning a bit to eye the ranger curiously. "I mean, you two are engaged. You planned on getting married eventually, right?"

"In another six months or so, maybe, but not after a month and a half of being engaged." Buzz admitted, running a hand through his crew cut, brunette hair. "Jessie and I…don't like to move too fast."

Bo gave him a gentle, sympathetic look, her blue eyes shimmering softly. The corners of her mouth, though, curved upward a bit, an unusual feeling after the events of the past few days.

"No you don't." The shepherdess teased lightly as she turned back to the sink. "It took both of you nearly ten years to finally admit your feelings."

The blush that flushed Buzz's cheeks went unnoticed, but he assumed Bo already knew how he would react. Yes, it had taken both him and the cowgirl a while to confess, but they had been young and naïve for most of that time. Only recently did he begin to understand the commitment required of him being a fiancé and a future husband.

"I just…don't know if I'm ready yet." Buzz admitted finally, not caring if Bo was listening or not. "I don't think either of us is. We were going to spend our engagement figuring out how well we could live together and how well we could actually get along like a husband and wife, to be sure that our marriage would be successful. I do not want to ruin what we have because I am too inexperienced. I do not know what I would do if we separated."

The consistent splashing of tap water on ceramic stopped and rushed directly into the drain in the sink. Bo's hand had paused as she washed a plate, but after a moment, she began to restart her chore, though at a much slower pace. Her face remained hidden and only kept her back exposed to the rest of the room. As much as she tried to keep her composure, she could not stop her body from beginning to shake and her breaths from growing heavier. Her eyes stung, her lips trembled, and her heart throbbed.

"That would be awful." Bo finally responded, hoping her voice sounded still.

She barely heard the sound of a chair scraping against the hardwood floor over the rushing water before her. Her chest tightened and her muscles tensed as she heard Buzz's heavy footfalls tread closer to her position, but she kept her gaze transfixed on the plate in her hand. It wasn't until his hand reached to turn off the faucet did she realize she had been holding her breath. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Bo finally willed herself to turn to the man beside her.

"Bo…" Buzz began, his face screwing with doubt and grief, "…I…I'm so sorry, Bo. I wish I could have done something…I should not have convinced him to join…to leave you. It wasn't right of me."

He avoided Woody's name on purpose, knowing neither of them would be able to handle its sound. The ranger watched as Bo pursed her lips together and closed her eyes, struggling to stave more tears from escaping her red-tinged eyes.

"No, Buzz." She choked before breathing deep to regain her voice. "It was not your fault. It wasn't anyone's. He wanted to-to help his best friend and watch over his sister, j-just like any great friend and brother would. Besides, you have done so much for this family, so much in so many ways. I-I cannot thank you enough for everything, for even going through what you will tomorrow. You're our hero, Buzz Lightyear."

Barely finishing her sentence, Bo leaned forward and pecked the ranger gratefully on the cheek before wrapping him in an embrace. Buzz, a little startled and unsure, felt the shepherdess settle her chin on his shoulder as little tremors continued to shake her body. His heart sank slightly, realizing how much Bo was actually suffering. His initial reaction fading, Buzz carefully returned the hug in a friendly manner, hoping to make up for his wrongs by comforting her.

Bo's mind reeled, however. Her chest tightened further and her heart beat wildly. An unknown sensation slowly consumed her as the heat of Buzz's cheek still lingered on her lips. Her body shivered as she tried to reset her flaring emotions, to identify what suddenly made her nerves tingle and her stomach flip. When Buzz finally returned her embrace, she found it hard to breathe. The closeness, the warmth, the comfort overwhelmed her.

Leaning back, Bo returned her gaze to Buzz's face. Confusion wrought his expression, but Bo looked beyond it to his brunette hair, its shade so strikingly familiar, and his eyes, their deep azure color transforming into a brownish shade within her mind. She leaned forward, the sight so familiar, so comforting…so inviting…

"Bo."

The shepherdess jumped, suddenly feeling herself unable to move as two hands kept her shoulders and her body still. The firm voice began to diminish the haze, the raging sensation. She blinked hard for several moments until she could clearly see Buzz's stiff, yet kind features, the image she had conceived through her imagination finally fading.

"Bo, I'm getting married tomorrow, remember?" The ranger reminded gently. "Besides, this isn't what you want."

Bo stared at him for a long moment. Then it hit her. She backed up abruptly, a hand flying to her mouth as a look of horror and disgust crossed her face. Eventually bumping into a chair, she stumbled onto it before burying her face in her hands, tears spilling between her fingers as she finally let herself break down.

Buzz's expression softened as he watched Bo tear herself up. Walking over, he knelt down in front of her and placed a hand on her shoulder in order to get her to calm down.

"Bo, it's all right." The ranger assured. "You did not do anything wrong."

"How can you say that?" Bo whispered between sobs. "I-I almost kissed you right before your wedding with my sister-in-law! How did I not do anything wrong?"

Buzz sighed as he attempted to create an answer that would convince her to stop blaming herself. It only took him a moment.

"Because of the way you looked at me Bo." He reasoned. "You weren't looking _at_ me directly. It looked like you were seeing something else…or maybe, someone else."

Her sobbing paused. Slowly, she lifted her head away from her hands, glancing down at him, realization shimmering in her glossy, blue eyes.

"It felt like a good way to cope with your sorrow, even though you did not realize it until afterward." Buzz continued. "It's completely understandable and acceptable."

Bo shifted her gaze away, staring toward the wall as her eyes grew distant, reverting to her mind to consider the ranger's words. She eventually turned back to him, sorrow contorting her features again.

"I'm so sorry, Buzz."

Buzz gave her a small smile as he stood up and extended a hand to her.

"No need to apologize. Come on, I think we all need a nap before dinner."

Smiling slightly in return, Bo took the ranger's hand and stood. Ushering her to the stairs, Buzz straightened out the kitchen and blew out the candles before heading up himself. He took a quick glance at his watch.

Sixteen hours to go.


	9. Dreams in the Night

So, sorry for the wait, honestly. I've been dealing with...stuff, going on vacation, and writing 3 other stories. *collapses* Yet, thought it was high time I get another chapter up. I want to apologize in advance, there's no action yet. Just more character development and emotion (you can go ahead and run away now). I PROMISE next chapter. This one wound up standing alone well on its own and turning out too long. Didn't want to over stuff it (heh, toy lingo). Anyways, hope you enjoy!

NOTE: Buzz has been to Andersonville before, but briefly. Need to minorly edit some previous chapters based on that fact.

* * *

**Dreams in the Night**

"Ugh, that's it!"

Buzz idly watched as another white dress flew from behind the small privacy screen, only to land across the room on the dresser unceremoniously. He sat tiredly on the bed, staring at his feet, as he heard Jessie's grunts and soft curses while she redressed herself for the tenth time that night. When she finally got herself situated, she came out from behind the screen, her nightclothes on and her hair in a wavy mess about her shoulders. A firm frown set on her face, she marched over to the discarded dress and picked it up.

"There ain't no way I'm wearing this wreck." She spat, glancing over the silky white material again. "I don't care how much Trixie's mother loved it when she wore it to her wedding. She never had that good of taste anyway."

Sighing, the cowgirl placed the dress back onto its hanger and replaced the leather covering around it, readying it so she could return it tomorrow.

"So let's see, Bo's dress is too small, Dolly's mother's is too short, Hamm's mother's is too…large, and Trixie's mother's is just…no." Jessie listed off all the wedding dresses she had tried on that night so she could look somewhat nice to her own ceremony the next morning, but none fit the bill. "Guess I'm just goin' in my usual get-up. I hope you don't plan on getting too dressed up, Buzz."

"You just hate all dresses to begin with." The former ranger raised a brow and smirked.

"Well, yeah, that's true." The cowgirl shrugged, walking to his side of the bed to stand next to him with a hand on her hip. "I have rejected every dress thrown at me. Still, I always pictured myself wearing a white dress on my wedding day, y'know, the day a girl feels like the most beautiful person on the planet. I figured getting all dolled up for just that one day would make it more special, instead of doing all the time. Looking pretty once is just fine for me."

"Once?" Buzz questioned, grabbing Jessie's hand and pulling her onto the bed with him, sitting up so she could rest on his lap and so he could wrap his arms around her. "From what I recall, you have always looked beautiful, even since the day I first laid eyes on you. Your tall, thin form, your bright, green eyes, your–"

"–red hair full of head?" Jessie guessed, pursing her lips together to keep herself from bursting with laughter. "From what _I_ recall, that was the first compliment you ever gave me about my looks."

"I–I was nervous and flustered a-and inexperienced…" Buzz's cheeks flushed deeply with embarrassment, just as he always had whenever his 'compliment' sprang up in conversation. "If Woody didn't keep bringing it up, it wouldn't have had such a…humorous reputation."

The vivacity sparkling in Jessie's emerald eyes faltered before it dulled considerably. She looked down, her smile slowly turning upside-down as her body tensed slightly at whatever thoughts began to roam about her mind.

Buzz cursed himself silently. Why did he say _his_ name, out of all the people he could have mentioned? It slipped, much more easily than he expected, especially considering his continuous grief for the loss of his best friend. During his small banter with Jessie, he felt as if everything had gone back to normal, as if nothing terrible had ever happened. No sorrow, no pain, and no troubles to worry about. Jessie's demeanor slapped him with reality once again, though, and woke him harshly from the relieving little daydream.

"Have they found him yet?" The cowgirl whispered so quietly, Buzz barely heard her.

"Hmm?"

"Have-have they found…Woody yet?" She repeated, wincing slightly at the tabooed name.

The former ranger opened his mouth, but closed it again. He didn't know how exactly to answer since he didn't exactly know the entire truth himself. Sighing slightly, he settled half-lidded eyes on Jessie's fatigued but lovely features, her pale skin illuminated softly by the natural lighting of the oil lamps on the bedside tables. Brushing a few strands of her red hair from her face, Buzz finally spoke.

"The last I heard about the search was the day we left." He began. "They still had not found him by that time. I asked Mira to contact me if anything changed, but she hasn't. I can only assume things have remained the same."

"How could he just disappear though?" Jessie shook her head. "It makes no sense."

"I know, I believed the same thing." Buzz agreed, his hand moving to rub hers. "Yet, I also believe that if Woody was still…around, he would've shown up by now. It's been two and a half weeks."

"You think he might've been kidnapped?" The cowgirl's voice rose with sudden hope. "He might still be alive!"

Buzz pursed his lips, his heart spewing doubt throughout him, knowing well the unfavorable odds of Woody's survival and the possible outcomes that made the cowboy 'disappear' in the end. Yet, Jessie's optimism, a trait of hers he hadn't seen in days and missed terribly, kept him silent.

"He could've been." The former ranger nodded slightly. "If he was, we unfortunately don't know who took him."

"Star Command doesn't know where the robot came from?" Jessie turned, raising a brow. "How could they not know?"

"I don't know." Buzz sighed, recollecting the information reported to him on the subject. "The rangers collecting intel on the attack retrieved every piece of the assassin. They analyzed them for days, hoping to figure out something. Everyone wanted to blame Zurg and be done with it, but his usual marks, the obvious ones like the big "Z" he puts on everything, wasn't present. There was nothing."

"No company name, no miniscule symbol?" Jessie inquired.

"Nothing. It didn't even have memory or built-in software like every other robot should have to function. It just had a mere command programmed into its energy chip, to kill the Raxip king and anyone else in the way. No one, not even the head Star Command engineer, understands its system."

The cowgirl frowned, facing forward again before slumping slightly against Buzz, feeling his hold tighten around her. She remained silent for a long moment, staring at her hands, mulling, worrying. When she leaned back and rested her head on her fiancé's shoulder, she finally turned back to face him, giving a rueful expression.

"You need to go back, Buzz."

It took the former ranger a second to comprehend. He frowned deeply with disagreement.

"Jess, no. I already told you I'm–"

"Star Command needs you, Buzz!" Jessie protested. "Whoever attacked the Raxip king is still out there! Who knows what he could do next, especially with that type of technology! You're the best of them all! You could stop whoever this is and avenge Woody!"

Buzz instantly sat up straighter, impelling Jessie to pull away from him and face him squarely, kneeling stiffly on the bed.

"You know revenge is something we do not promote." Buzz reminded sternly, crossing his arms. "It would do nothing to help them and nothing to help you!"

"They need you more than I do!"

His sudden stunned and pained expression quickly made the cowgirl flustered and incoherent.

"No, I-I didn't mean it…like that…I–"

"Why are you so determined to send me back?" Buzz questioned, his voice deep and barely a whisper.

"I-I…"

Jessie struggled, glancing around the room rapidly as she reached for her hair, beginning to tug against her red locks. She found it harder and harder to breathe and felt like the walls of the room were closing in on her. She couldn't find words, couldn't define feelings. She felt so lost and unsure, guilty and upset that she didn't know how to control herself. Yet, when she finally met Buzz's near distressed and concerned eyes again, everything seemed to fall into place.

"I want everything to be the way it was again!" She cried, tears finally beginning to fall from her glossy eyes. "You a space ranger, Woody a sheriff, and me…a deputy sheriff. I want everythin' to be happy and sunny and bright again, where our problems were nothin' and our time together thrilling! Where we can fight off One-Eyed Bart and Zurg's robots with a flick of the wrist and go home together and enjoy ourselves! Where we can kiss and dance and love each other without a care! Where we can have a wedding we planned ourselves, get all dressed up, have all our family and friends there, and decide where we want it and when we want it! Where I can look at you and know this is something I _want _to do and not something I'm _forced _to do!"

After soaking herself with tears, throwing her hands about, and tangling her hair further, the cowgirl finally threw herself down on her side of the bed, sobbing heavily into her pillow. Buzz merely sat against the headrest, staring wide-eyed at the defeated form of his fiancé beside him. He didn't know what to do, fearing his next move would break Jessie further. For a long moment, he just watched her, his heart aching and his mind reeling. It wasn't until her sobs quieted did he dare make a move.

"Jess…" Buzz croaked, his throat dry as he leaned forward to rub Jessie's back gently, trying to calm her. "Just relax."

The cowgirl mumbled something incoherently, but Buzz didn't bother asking her to repeat. He just kept up his light massage, feeling her tense body relax slowly under his fingers. Jessie soon turned her head to the side, breathing in the fresh, cool air around them once again. Even as tear marks still lingered and her eyes remained heavily bloodshot, Buzz finally lied himself down beside her and took her into his arms, pulling her close against him as he continued to rub her back and kissed her on the forehead. It didn't take long for Jessie to nestle closer to him, burying her face in his shirt.

"I'm not ready for this…" She mumbled.

Buzz sighed, embracing her ever closer.

"Neither am I, Jess. Neither am I."

* * *

I might as well write televison's next hit drama after this. *sigh* Sometimes I just rely on emotions to make a story. I don't know if that's good or bad. Probably not too interesting, but oh well. I love figuring out how people think and react to certain situations and this story fits the bill. Plus, I love h/c.

Now that we've got the reasons why Buzz and Jessie don't want to get married yet down, time for the actual marriage! :D


	10. The Wedding

I want to apologize again for the wait. I was finishing up 2 other stories for another site and wanted to get them done. Now that they're both done, updates for this story will be much more frequent. I _will _have this done before school starts for me on the 22nd. I planned it that way.

So, this chapter...eh, idk. I honestly didn't know what else to do for it. I thought it would be short, but things never turn out that way with my writing, heh. Oh well. Hope you like it!

* * *

**The Wedding**

They woke before dawn.

Groggy and deprived of sleep, the current three residents of the Pride Ranch forced themselves to get ready for the wedding two hours away. Bo, being the traditionalist and the optimist, wanted to conceal Jessie from Buzz before the ceremony, sprouting excuses about 'good luck' and how they needed a lot of it at the moment. So, as the girls got ready, the former space ranger obliged to make a simple breakfast, not much of a cook since he mainly lived off military rations for most of his life.

As soon as he finished, Bo came down to shoo him away to get ready so she and Jessie could eat. He didn't get dressed in anything fancy, just the casual clothing he had worn around in Andersonville. He tried to shine his dirt-worn boots and his sun-dried hat, but to no avail. Having no patience, he left everything as is and left for the town church before the girls to avoid seeing Jessie, as Bo suggested.

Father Pricklepants greeted him in a chipper mood, as if he had been awake for hours. Buzz tried his best to ignore him, wanting nothing more than to just go back to bed and wake up from the nightmare plaguing him for over two weeks. He managed for a little while, until the priest began praising the tragedy of Hamlet and about how well the deaths of all the characters were executed. Luckily, the time for the wedding finally came before he conducted a sin by forcefully shutting up the Brit.

A knock on the church doors indicated the girls had arrived. Quickly moving into their positions, Pricklepants at the altar and Buzz to his left, the men granted them permission to enter.

Bo strode in first with a small yellow lily bouncing in her hands, wearing a pleasant, poufy pink and white dress that accented well with her delicate, porcelain-like figure. She forced a smile onto her face, eyes welling up slightly as she curtsied to her minister before taking the place of the Maid of Honor. The three waited silently for Jessie to make her appearance, but the cracked door did not open any wider. Anxiousness began to build in the atmosphere and they stayed still for a little while longer.

Time continued to tick.

"Jessie?" Bo called, not receiving an answer in return.

Breathing deeply, the shepherdess stepped down from the altar again, shooting a quick apologetic glance to Buzz before lifting her skirts and cantering back outside. The former ranger clenched his hands together in front of him, understanding his fiancé's delay due to the night before. His own reservations had almost held him back that morning. He hated feeling useless and submissive, as if there had been a way around the marriage, but he was too weak to take it. Worse yet, he hated to see Jessie so upset and unsure; it wasn't like her. Nonetheless, he logically knew they had to go through with the wedding and that overcame all of his other worries. They would lose too much if they didn't.

A minute later, Bo came in again, her mouth set and her expression noticeably more dismayed, but she returned to her spot and stood erect, watching the doors vigilantly. The thud of boots refocused everyone's attention as Jessie finally revealed herself. Buzz thanked the Lord he did not decide to wear his space suit because his wings would've sprouted. No, the cowgirl did not wear any dress or any ornamental clothing; she merely wore her boots, her jeans, and a fully white blouse, embellished with gold embroidery around the mid-chest neckline and the flowing sleeves that danced around her arms. She wore no hat, but her fiery hair had been freed of her braid, falling about her shoulders and enhancing the small blush of her cheeks, the shimmering of her emerald eyes. Buzz didn't know if the occasion made her beauty stand out or if it naturally showed no matter what she wore. The latter reason made more sense, though.

Walking with an unreadable expression, she reached the altar rather hastily, as if trying to make up for the time she wasted. Buzz smiled lightly and stepped down to take her hands in his, turning her toward him so he could gaze into her eyes. The sheen glossing them indicated she had cried a bit before entering and suddenly her doubt appeared much more clearly on her features.

Sighing silently, the former ranger offered a small smile and pressed a hand to her cheek, rubbing it tenderly. Closing her eyes, Jessie seemed to relax a bit under his touch, smiling a bit herself as she glanced back to him after a moment. Believing she felt better, he retook her other hand and they turned to Pricklepants to confirm they were ready, nearly rolling his eyes at the minister when he saw the exaggerated admiration on the latter's face about the exchange.

"Dearly beloved," The Brit began, steadying his voice and announcing aloud to a bunch of empty pews, "we are gathered here, in the presence of God and of this company, that Edwin 'Buzz' Lightyear* and Jessica Joan Pride may be united in holy matrimony. We are here to celebrate and share in the glorious act that God is about to perform - the act by which He converts their love for one another into the holy and sacred estate of marriage.*"

Jessie barely registered the practiced words Pricklepants spoke. She could only feel the beating of her heart and the hand Buzz had clasped in her own. He rubbed the back of hers with his thumb, in order to keep her calm she supposed. It worked slightly, but her mind still continued to scream at her, telling her how she shouldn't have had to resort to this. She had no choice, though; what else could she have done? Besides, it was the only way she could've taken control of the situation and she'd be damned if she let herself lose the Ranch. That's what encouraged her to enter the church finally. She would not condemn herself and especially Bo to a life on the streets. She was stronger than that.

"Edwin, do you take Jessica to be your wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, to honor and cherish her, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, and to be to her in all things a good and faithful husband as long as you both shall live?" Pricklepants continued the ceremony despite her lack of attention.

"I do." Buzz responded with a sincerity that refocused Jessie almost immediately, causing her to lock on to his gentle gaze.

"Jessica, do you take Edwin to be your wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, to honor and cherish him, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, and to be to him in all things a good and faithful wife as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." She felt surprised at how certain her voice resounded between her and Buzz, but smiled again once she saw how pleased he seemed at the sound.

Gazing at each other with such intense regard and ardor, the sensations of uncertainty and distress seemed to lift from their shoulders. Many dreadful things had occurred as of late, but they somehow made it through all of them together. They stood before one another, ready to sacrifice the perfect union of love they always wanted and dreamed of for something much nobler and worthy. Oh, how they blinded themselves to what had already occurred between them long before they agreed to marry the day before. They didn't need society's legal transaction of declaring love to reveal what they forgot to consider. Peering into the compassionate eyes of the other explained enough.

They had already pledged an undying vow to love each other forever.

After exchanging rings and lighting the unity candles, the couple readied for the finality of their ceremony with a newborn eagerness. Even Bo seemed to catch the drift of their change in mood, tears slipping down her face due to joy instead of sorrow. Pricklepants brought forth the marriage license and placed it on the altar for the very end, to legally declare them married.

"Edwin and Jessica have consented together in holy matrimony, and have witnessed the same before God and this company and have pledged their love and loyalty to each other, and have declared the same by the joining and the giving of rings, I, therefore, by the authority of the state, pronounce that they–"

The church doors slammed open. Everyone jumped and the minister choked on his next words. Turning toward the disturbance, they saw a hoard of grungy, sinister outlaws stepping inside, all sneering and amused by the show before them while unsheathing and aiming their guns at the small group. Buzz's instincts ignited and he swiftly placed himself in front of Jessie and pulled Bo behind him as well, taking on a defensive stance. He silently cursed himself as he reached down to his belt. He left his weapons at the Ranch.

"I suggest you don't finish that sentence minister, unless you want to meet your maker in the next minute."

A plump, short outlaw shuffled through the crowd, pushing his way through until he arrived to the front. He wore some extravagant clothing for a western criminal, though dust and dirt caked him and dulled the magnificence of the materials' colors. His well-groomed, black moustache twitched slightly as he smirked and his eyebrows rose to the tip of his leather bowler hat. Yet, what stuck out the most was the eye patch over his right eye.

"Hello, Ms. _Pride._"

Buzz heard a sharp click next to his ear. Rotating his head slightly, he saw a colt revolver being held in the air beside him, cocked and ready to fire at the outlaw's head. He should've guessed Jessie would've brought a gun to her wedding.

"Get out of here, One-Eyed Bart." She hissed. "You're not invited to this wedding."

It took a moment for the former ranger to recognize the name the cowgirl mentioned and quickly remembered the nefarious troublemaker, especially when he laughed at the threat. The clothes and wealthy appearance of him had thrown him off; he had never seen him adorn such an air before.

"Dear, Jessie. I'm afraid you're going to have to reconsider." One-Eyed Bart gave her a ridiculing look. "See, you're _fiancé _has so graciously lined himself up with our guns that, by the time you've shot me, he'll be dead as well. Is that what you want?"

Jessie went rigid. She gave Buzz a quick glance and swallowed hard, knowing the risk she would take once she fired her revolver. Oh, how badly she wanted to kill Bart, but never would the accomplishment be worth Buzz's death. She could never endanger his safety, his life. She would die herself.

Growling quietly, she let the gun drop from her hand to the floor. She scowled fiercely and gripped Buzz's arm tightly, knowing what would come next.

"Now, if you all would be so kind, please come with me." One-Eyed Bart beamed as he picked up the fallen revolver. "We have business to attend to."

* * *

*1 - "Edwin" is actually the former real name of Buzz Aldrin before he legally changed his name to Buzz. Buzz Lightyear is named after Aldrin, thus the full name association.

*2 - This ceremony set-up is based off a standard Christian wedding (because they are in a church). This is shortened version for obvious reasons.


	11. Family Matters

Well, I don't think this chapter is that good. I wrote most of it while I was at the beach, so my mind was elsewhere at the time. Might fix it up later, depends.

Anyways, next chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Review please, even if it just says "great" or "nice," etc.

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**Family Matters**

The bleak desert stretched around them for miles. Civilization had died out a long while ago, giving way to harsh terrain and bottomless heat with mere cacti and dead brush as decorations. One-Eyed Bart and his posse trudged along but moved swiftly in pace, with an air of importance and purpose motivating them. The threats they issued to any passerby, in town or on roads they crossed, discouraged anyone from following and interfering with them, including Father Pricklepants who they left behind. Their journey made easy, the entire company seemed spirited and delighted by their task.

Well, not everyone.

Jessie grunted as an outlaw shoved her forward, nearly causing her to lose her balance. Not a moment later, she felt his hand latch onto her shoulder to keep her moving, though it almost felt a little too possessive for her taste. She wanted nothing more than to slap him, but the chains binding her hands behind her back made it difficult for her to fight at all.

Buzz and Bo faced the same predicament and treatment. The former space ranger had several men guarding him, though, since Bart never forgot his few but devastating encounters with Captain Lightyear. Buzz, of course, resented the situation hotly and tried to retaliate as soon as they left Andersonville, but several punches to the face and gut eventually made him cooperate. Injuries marred his face and left him exhausted, but no one did anything about them. Jessie hoped he could make it to wherever Bart was taking them, lest he collapse and wind up abandoned in the desert to die.

"Where are we going?" The cowgirl called out for the dozenth time.

"Why can't you be patient?" One –Eyed Bart answered, continuing to march forward.

"You just ruined my wedding, why do ya think?" She snarled.

"Psh, please. You called that a wedding?" The outlaw laughed, glancing back to show his amused grin. "Shouldn't you have waited a bit longer, like after inviting the guests? Or did everyone decline?"

His laughs encouraged the others to join him. Jessie only rolled her eyes, finding the joke mediocre at best. She kept quiet afterward and went back to her thoughts, trying to ignore the small aches beginning to claim her feet. Idly looking around, she caught sight of Bo. The shepherdess appeared quite disheveled and troubled, but kept her features tightened and set with audacity. She had faced hostage situations long before she married Woody when he just began his job as a Sheriff. They were trivial and ridiculous the majority of the time, but she eventually grew accustomed to them and feared them less. After all, Woody managed to save her every time, so why did she need to worry?

This time, though, the cowboy wouldn't come.

Jessie shook her head and returned her attention to the ground. The hardened sand began to give way to a much rockier terrain, making it difficult for her not to trip as she felt herself shoved forward again. When they made their way around a corner, a wall of rock met them on the left and a hundred foot drop threatened them on the right. It jutted right out of the earth into the air, as if a massive explosion had ripped apart the rock.

The wall overshadowed the company once they sidled up beside it, the narrow path forcing them to walk in a single line. Although much cooler without the sun, the shade added an ominous vibe to the atmosphere, the jagged edges surrounding them above and below menacing and looming. The constant sound of pebbles and dirt falling into the ravine kept everyone alert, even the outlaws who seemed to know the area well. Unpredictability reigned around them and they put themselves at its mercy.

After much tension and about an hour's walk, the outlaws came upon a crevice in the wall that scarred it deeply. Jessie trailed her eyes to the peak, where two sides of the gash met at a clean point. It loomed over them as they approached, enticing everyone's attention by its majestic structure. Once they passed through the entrance, the shadows thickened and visibility almost disappeared if it weren't for the lit torches lining the walls.

"Ah, here we are." One-Eyed Bart sighed, his voice echoing. "Take our guests to the back, you know where."

Without a chance to protest, Jessie, Buzz, and Bo found themselves pushed forward again, deeper into the cave. Luckily, their suspicions didn't have to wait long to figure out where they headed. A barred cell, probably ripped from a sheriff's jail, stood off to the side in a little crack, empty and waiting. An outlaw unlocked it and swung the door open with a chilling screech. The others threw their three prisoners within tersely.

"Y'all get yourselves cozy while ya can." One smirked as he locked the door and latched the keys to his belt. "You got some people who want to meet ya."

He received no answer, but he merely shrugged and walked off with his comrades. Jessie tried to get herself onto her knees from her fallen position on her side. The chains continued to bind her hands and limited her movement, but she eventually managed to succeed in her task. Raising her heavy head, she glanced around to the others.

"Bo, are you all right?" She asked quietly, noticing the shepherdess trying to right herself as well.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bo answered as she rolled onto her back.

"Buzz?"

Jessie realized he hadn't moved and her heart thudded promptly in her chest. Gritting her teeth, she walked over to him on her knees and leaned her head down to his ear, leaning her forehead against his temple.

"Buzz, are you ok?" She fought to keep her voice steady. "C'mon Buzz, please."

She could clearly see the gashes slicing and bruises discoloring his skin. There weren't too many of each, but the few he had were significant enough. He tried to lift himself up from the sheer strength in his legs and the cowgirl moved aside, wanting to help him but still incapable of doing so. Grunting in frustration, the ranger finally thrust himself up until he sat on his knees.

"Where the hell are we?" Buzz groaned, glancing around.

"We don't know." Bo responded as she continued to lie on the floor. "Quite a ways from town, though."

"I never knew this place even existed." Jessie added.

"So, we failed then." The ranger murmured. "It's almost been twenty hours already. There's no way we're getting back to finish the wedding before time is up. "

A silence settled between the three once the realization hit. Father Pricklepants never finished the ceremony and Buzz and Jessie never signed the marriage license. They would have to forfeit the Pride Ranch in a mere hour, if not less. Everything they had worried about, cried over, fought against in the past day suddenly amounted to nothing.

"We only had a few words left, two signatures!" Jessie whispered dejectedly. "We just lost everything… Woody, my family's ranch…"

"The ranch is staying in the family." A voice echoed around them, ricocheting off the stone to twitch their nerves. "It's just in _my_ part of the family now."

A silhouette of a man strode to the cell door, the flames of an oil lamp flickering behind him with a demonical attitude. When the lamp finally passed into his hands, though, it revealed nothing pleasanter.

"Uncle Pete?" Jessie breathed.

The stout man stood at eye level with the kneeling cowgirl, his wideness certainly making up for his lack of height. The muddled mess of hair on his head and the scrawny, wiry locks of his plushy beard had faded to grey, barely concealed under the tattered hat and stained bandana he wore. The rest of him seemed quite unsoiled and tidy, a silk shirt underneath a red embroidered vest and a black leather trench coat as well as well-pressed trousers and shining black boots. Even a glint of a gold pocket watch chain rested on his left breast. Recent, affluent circumstances had made the man quite a sight, almost as unbelievable as One-Eyed Bart's new appearance.

"Why yes, my darling niece. So nice to see you again." His smile flashed gold teeth overshadowing the crookedness of his rotten ones. "I wish on better terms, of course, but beggars can't be choosers. What I am most troubled about, though, is how you didn't even invite me to your wedding!"

"Invite you?" The cowgirl huffed as her eyes narrowed. "I haven't seen you nor heard from you in years, never for a visit or even a response to the letters Woody sent to you and you wanted me to _invite _you? You're crazier than a jackrabbit crossin' a frozen pond."

"Well, I'm offended." Pete feigned disappointment. "I guess I had every right to have Bart disrupt your ceremony then."

"Wait, you're a part of all this?" Bo whispered, realization washing over her expression.

"Ah, the delicate, little, lamp doll." Pete cocked his head and smirked at the shepherdess as she responded with a glare. "Yes, my dear, I am. I can't believe it took all of y'all this long to figure it out."

"What do you expect to…?" Jessie paused, her jaw nearly falling open. "You just wanted the ranch. You sabotaged our wedding so you could inherit the ranch! You knew about everything this entire time!"

"I knew it longer than you did." The prospector shook his head. "You honestly think I didn't know about what I should've rightfully earned after my brother's death?"

"Rightfully earned?" The cowgirl spat. "I'm his daughter! Woody was his heir! You didn't deserve anything my father owned."

Pete's arrogance and pride disintegrated in an instant, giving way to contempt.

"He got enough in his life, money, fame, love." Roughness shook his voice. "The best son a father could ever want. Me? I was the runt, the failure story. I didn't get nothin'. I couldn't wait to get the hell away from my brother, but I never could. 'Specially when you two came along. I just wanted everything the bastard had, take it away and leave him with nothing. I had struck gold and got rich, but it never made me feel like I accomplished anything. He still crooned his damn greatness to everyone."

"Stop disrespectin' my pa!" Jessie gritted her teeth. "He tried to help you however he could and–"

"Until one day, someone decided to help out poor ol' me." Pete ignored the cowgirl, his story so significant it left him aloof to everything else. "Came up to me and offered me some assets for some financial help. We both needed more money, more power for our desires so we made a pact. We planned everything out."

"Why does only one name come into mind when I think about who you're referring to?" Buzz finally included himself in the conversation, his attention much more alert and disgruntled than before.

Footsteps answered him. The derisive expression Pete dismissed returned in full force. Moving aside to lean upon the bars of the cell, he left room for the newcomer. Yet, the elegant, black attire and the plump, pinkish skin appeared all too familiar to the three.

"I always knew you were a smart man, Lightyear." Ned Lotson chuckled heartily. "If you knew more about our legal system, you would've ruined our whole plan."

"What plan, you oversized floor model!" Jessie snapped, losing her temper once the lawyer revealed himself."

"Demands are above you, Ms. Pride," Lotson retorted with a slight sneer, "especially in your position. You should remain patient and listen instead of running that _oversized_ mouth of yours. Or do you want to meet the same fate as your brother?"

Closing her mouth, the cowgirl stared at him for a long moment, stiff and stunned. With her eyebrows curling down above her widened eyes and her mouth set straight, she swallowed hard as she struggled to formulate her thoughts, her revelation.

"You know who killed him?" She questioned in a whisper.

Lotson laughed in amusement.

"Of course, Ms. Pride. I did."


	12. Sicarius

Yay, another update. I'm like scrambling to meet my deadline (I'm taking my time though and looking it over). I wanna get this done b4 school cause I won't get to it again until Christmas time and no one wants to wait that long for 2 more chapters (I wouldn't). Anyways, plot revealing time! Yay!

Hope you enjoy it! Please, please review! I know more than 3 people are reading this.

WARNING: Language usage.

* * *

**_Sicarius_**

Jessie paled five shades. Her eyes bulged and her jaw could've hit the floor if the situation were comical. All the heat drained from her blood and rendered her nerves numb. She hadn't felt so petrified since…Woody's death.

"Y-You?" She strained her voice to speak.

"I hadn't intended to at the very beginning," Lotson shrugged casually, "but when he showed up, I couldn't miss the opportunity."

"You created the assassin?" Buzz snarled as ire penetrated his senses. "You attacked the Raxip king and murdered hundreds of people? You hellion! Don't you realize what you've done?"

"I'm hoping that question is rhetorical, Lightyear, cause I think it's obvious what happened." The lawyer rolled his eyes. "Believe it or not, I actually believed I failed at first, thanks to you, Ms Pride. If you hadn't let the Raxip king escape–"

"Why did you want to kill him anyway?" The former ranger's disruption left his adversary scowling.

"Should I teach you how not to interrupt someone when they're telling a story?" Lotson snapped, gesturing to one of the outlaw lackeys standing guard behind him. "Because I can certainly give you a lesson."

"No, stop!" Jessie's cry broke the tension.

The cowgirl crawled forward on her knees until she tripped and fell against Buzz. The former ranger turned to support her and tried to hold her up with his elbows. She breathed deeply for a moment and Buzz's expression fell upon observing how weary she suddenly appeared. Her eyes met his and her emerald irises shimmered, begging him to relent, to be cautious against their captors. His regret heeded her worries and sent her an understanding glance.

Yet, Lotson and Pete merely smiled at the scene as if entertained.

"Eh, let 'em off the hook for now." The prospector waved a hand. "Tell 'em the rest." He looked a little too eager over the impending reactions to their story.

"Why don't I start from the very beginning then, shall I?" Lotson's boisterous New Orleans accent directed all attention to him. "I'm a part-time lawyer, but I'm firstly a business man. I fought in the corporate world of the capital city, pickin' up inventions and sellin' them to the public. I wanted a new line of merchandise, though, so I started sellin' weapons, lasers, guns, blast grenades, and so forth. I even made some business with Star Command and Zurg, believe it or not."

Buzz hid his shock by narrowing his eyes, but kept silent as the pressure of Jessie's body against his arm reminded him of being careful.

"After a while, though, I grew tired of taking in other's ideas. I wanted to make a weapon of my own." The plump man glanced off into the distance, as if viewing his memories. "I hired some of the best specialists and scientists in the universe, to come up with the perfect idea. I lost count of how many years it took, but we came up with a flawless formula and design. _Sicarius* _I named it, an android that could perform the most complex tasks and could never betray its creator. Yet, there were integral supplies we lacked and needed in excess. One was gold. The other was the new crystallic particles Raxip had discovered."

Buzz and Jessie exchanged an apprehensive glance and soon shared it with Bo. The blanks began to fill and the question marks straightened into exclamation points. The puzzle began to complete itself.

"So, he came to Lancaster, lookin' fer gold since it's the richest city in the west, the land of the miners." Pete proudly contributed and missed the annoyed glance of his partner.

"Yes, I searched for the gold first, since 'the discovery' hadn't been made then." Lotson continued. "Pete provided his candidacy first and I eventually made him an offer, enough of his gold to power _Sicarius_ for a favor, gain his brother's property and money. So, I tried to obtain it for him by killing your father."

Jessie nearly fell over with a gasp.

"You-you what?" She stammered, high-pitched.

"Yup, hired One-Eyed Bart to do the job," He shrugged carelessly, "but apparently, I didn't realize Pride had two children, especially one that was over 21 years old at the time. So, Woodrow Pride inherited the ranch and became sheriff, much to my displeasure. I should've killed the both of you with your father and made things easier."

Buzz instinctively leaned in front of Jessie, as if blocking her from harm. The cowgirl sat rigid, her expression stunned and distant.

"Yet, I made a promise to Pete and I intended to keep it for a little more gold in exchange." Lotson ignored the shatter of truth around the company. "Since Sheriff Pride was a skilled lawman, I could not touch him for years. So, I went back to working on and modifying _Sicarius_, until earlier this year. One of my specialists heard about the Raxip discovery before most of the universe and revealed it was the last piece to my android, my faultless weapon. I visited the planet to obtain some of the unearthed particles, but they refused me like the pompous, greedy politicians they were. Determined, I revisited Pete, a prospector who knew well of the ways of mining."

"So, I paid close attention to the mineral markets, especially the black market for the rare ones." Pete persisted in telling the next part. "I knew someone would leak out the material and they did. Lotson and I paid the price and he got what he needed."

"After we obtained it though, Sheriff Pride asked Pete for a favor." Lotson tried regaining the story again, but fell short.

"He wanted me to be the second witness to his will," The prospector laughed at the ridiculous memory, "the one that would give you and Ms. Peep Pride Ranch once he died."

"Mrs. Pride." Bo hissed sharply as she finally managed to get herself onto her knees and straightened her posture. "You didn't sign the will, did you? You made him think you did."

"'Course, just like Lotson said." Pete agreed with a hideous, toothy grin. "After that, I just needed him to die like my brother to get what I wanted."

"What I hadn't realized, though, was that you, Ms. Pride, and Sheriff Pride joined Star Command with your dear captain friend." The voice Lotson addressed with offered no leniency toward interruptions. "That made everything easier. See, I finished _Sicarius _once the announcement was made about the Raxip discovery. I wanted to create more models of _Sicarius _and make millions by selling them. I needed more supplies, though. I knew I had to make a rift in the mining planet's politics in order to get my hands on any more crystallic particles. So, I decided to kill their king when he came to compromise with the Galactic Alliance."

His smirk returned and the casual air about him electrified, as if excitement began to course through him. He gripped his cane tightly.

"I could control _Sicarius _from miles away without being detected, so, I directed it to the Senate hall. Yet, to my utter surprise and convenience, I met up with Ms. Pride and her brother. Sure, the Raxip king got lucky and escaped, but you two were handed to me right on a silver platter. Since Sheriff Pride was so brave to pursue _Sicarius, _I thought I could give him a noble death. I could afford it sense I already built another android. So, I erased _Sicarius'_ memory and told it to self-destruct. I do wonder how it felt to fall from such a height."

"You bastard!" Jessie cried as tears began to stream down her face. "You greedy, selfish bastards!"

"The fun doesn't end there." The insults barely affected Lotson. "If I had read Mr. Pride's will more closely and had known you were eligible to inherit the ranch, I would've killed you as well. Yet, you had to come back to Andersonville and disrupt Pete's plans and mine by trying to get married. I just couldn't let it happen, so I paid One-Eyed Bart to go fetch you and bring you here, so your time runs out. Oh and look at that! It has."

The lawyer exaggerated the act of observing his pocket watch and grinned broadly. Pete clapped his hands together in victory, bouncing around as he laughed aloud and cheered his luck. Their three prisoners still sat numb and merely stared at the ennerving scene before them.

"Well, you have what you want." Bo couldn't raise her voice above a murmur. "Just let us go."

"Let you go?" Lotson only chuckled as Pete became hysterical with laughter. "Oh no, it's not that easy, _Mrs_. _Pride._ All of y'all have caused me enough trouble, I don't want any more for the future, especially from your family."

Unlocking the cell door, the lawyer moved aside to let One-Eyed Bart and a few of his men inside. They immediately swarmed the group, separating them forcibly from each other in a mess of confusion. When the outlaws left, though, only Buzz found himself still within the cell. Bo and Jessie struggled against the grips of the men holding them beside Lotson.

"What are you doing!" The former ranger exclaimed.

"Taking care of my property." Pete informed, eyeing the girls possessively. "I'm going to make Ms. Peep my wife and I'm gonna let Jessie get together with her brother and father again. Nice knowin' ya, my dear niece."

A hand clamped over the cowgirl's mouth before she could retort. With a snap from Bart, the outlaws pulled the girls in opposite directions, Bo toward the back of the cave and Jessie toward the front. They thrashed about in protest, trying to resist, but the men overpowered them and pushed them along.

"NO! Jessie!" Buzz roared, leaping to his feet and pressing his face to the bars. "Jessie! Don't you dare hurt her! Let her go! She's no longer a threat to you!"

"Not taking any chances." Lotson answered simply, turning away to follow the men escorting Jessie. "Besides, you're going to join her soon enough. I would enjoy your last breaths while you can, Lightyear."

With that, he left the former ranger. Buzz barely felt comforted. Desperate and enraged at his helplessness, he stepped back and issued forth his combat skills to kick at the door. The bars shivered and the metal squealed and clashed. Yet, the cell door did not even budge against his best and most empowered efforts. It kept him completely neutralized.

"No. NO! JESSIE!" His voice nearly ripped his throat as he screamed. "JESSIE! JESSIE! NO!"

The name echoed around him forsakenly as Buzz continued to yell it over and over again.

* * *

*1 - _Sicarius _is Latin for "assassin."


	13. Prides

*Crawls up Mt. Doom* Almost there! My goodness, this was a long one, probably the longest of this story. Eh, whatevs. This one's kinda ok, I guess.

Well, hope you enjoy. Please review! _Please_!

* * *

**Prides**

"No, let me go!" Jessie growled as she tried to fight her captors.

The outlaws only responded by wrenching her along the path, causing her several times to drag her feet and lose her balance. Not one spoke to her, too focused on their task. They held her firmly and made any resistance painful on her part, but she still attempted for the sake of her life. No amount of willpower would rescue her, though.

As the space around them grew lighter, the outlaws directed the cowgirl to the right, toward a small opening just off the path to the right. A room of rock met them, possibly used as a den for coyotes at one point or another. They halted within and stood for several long moments. Jessie attempted to free herself again, despite its futility, stringing curses and threats.

"Still fighting even at the brink of death. I admire you, Ms. Pride."

Lotson entered the den, taking off his coat and rolling up his sleeves as his expression remained flippant. With a wave of his hand, the outlaws kicked the back of Jessie's legs and sent her to her knees with a grunt, forcing her to bow by pushing her shoulders forward. After a snap of the fingers, though, they removed their hands from her and left the den silently, leaving the cowgirl and Lotson together, alone.

"Look at this beauty, eh."

The lawyer had a smile in his tone and Jessie flinched slightly with ire. Nonetheless, she glanced up to see him tossing the civilian model of a Colt pistol between his hands, as if he played with a toy. She found the joy lighting up his features and the demonic redness of his irises disturbing, feeling a sudden urge to flee as fast as she could from the spawn of the devil. Yet, she kept herself rooted; she would not display any fear or weakness before her death.

"Well aren't you special?" She spat, straightening her posture so she knelt tall, erect. "About to kill a whole family; what an honor for you. Personally, I would've rather died over something more…meaningful."

"Try to act as brave as you wish, it's not going to change my mind." Lotson shook his head as he began loading the pistol. "It's quite meaningful to me, considering I'm about to get richer than ever before. All I needed was to earn your uncle's trust so I could wipe out his gold supply for my android."

"Why am I not surprised." Jessie rolled her eyes, but her tone remained indifferent. "Shoulda known you were the mastermind behind everything." She paused, her heart beating a bit faster at the click of the barrel closing on the pistol. "How can you just go around killing people? Do you have no soul?"

The laugh that escaped the lawyer's mouth began softly, but it eventually amplified and soon enough drowned out all other sounds. Its maniacal presence made the cowgirl shiver, causing her to wonder how a human could produce such an unearthly sound. Even his pink face seemed unnaturally distorted.

"Soul?" Lotson struggled to calm himself. "Soul makes you weak, just gets in the way of success. No, I suppose I never had one or I wouldn't be where I am today. See, those of you who do have souls are the ones who fail and die like the pathetic beings you are."

"You son of a–"

Lotson cocked the hammer back and the cowgirl shut her mouth, beginning to inwardly panic as her attempts at saving herself disintegrated to dust one by one. Gritting her teeth and breathing heavily, she risked one last, desperate plea.

"Wait! Can I at least see Buzz before I die?" Her voice trembled. "Just once more? I never got to say goodbye."

The sneer only lingered on the lawyer's face.

"That's so unfortunate. Yet, I could care less; no soul, remember? I'll be sure to give him the message, though." He mocked. "Goodbye, Ms. Pride."

Barely able to shut her eyes, Jessie jumped the second her ears devoured the gunfire. It resonated deafeningly within her head, a blaring sound of death consuming her senses. She heard a thud, but felt nothing, her nerves having numbed and probably losing strength with every second. She gasped for air, clinging to the lifeline and…

…found breathing actually quite easy.

"Jessie."

Her eyebrows shot up, but kept her eyes shut. The familiarity of that voice made her pacemaker rabid. She could only come to one conclusion. Death came a lot quicker than she had initially thought, already within heaven and meeting those she longed to see again.

"Jess, open your eyes."

The cowgirl breathed in deeply before finally cracking her eyes open. Walls of rock met her gaze; she was still in the den of the cave. Mouth falling open, she glanced in front of her, finding the pink-fleshed, arrogant Lotson lying spread-eagled on the floor, life absent from his eyes and his face donning an expression of utter shock.

Suddenly, a click from behind her caught her fixated attention. The heavy metal digging into her wrists fell away and her arms swung to her sides on their own accord. She winced slightly at the pain erupting in her muscles, but she ignored it to whip around and face her liberator.

Jessie froze. Her eyes bulged again and left her mouth wide open. She couldn't bring forth enough sense to move, to think. Kneeling on one knee before her, a key in one hand and a smoking pistol in the other, dressed in his usual attire with his cheeks flushed with liveliness and brown eyes sparkling with relief was Woody.

"Howdy, partner." He grinned slightly, observing the cowgirl's face carefully.

She didn't move a muscle, her mind still trying to process, reason, and reorder all the memories, beliefs, dreams, and sights she had registered in the past month. Her heart had lodged itself in her throat and her stomach seared her from within. Eventually, she could only mumble the only explanation the chaos in her mind provided.

"I-I'm dead."

"No, you're not." Woody's content features softened lightly. "I'm not either. I never was."

He reached forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, giving a gentle squeeze of reassurance. Only that managed to snap Jessie from her stupor. She let out a strangled cry and dove at her brother, ensnaring him in such a tight embrace that Woody struggled to breathe for a moment. Nonetheless, he wrapped his own arms around the cowgirl, pulling her close and flipping off the hat on her head just to rest his cheek against her hair. She buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed heavily, her tears dampening through his cowhide vest to his shirt. He could care less, though.

"It's all right, Jess." The sheriff soothed as he rubbed her back. "We're all safe now and I'm back. Nothin' to worry about anymore."

A punch to the chest threw him back and caught him off guard. Coughing a bit, he glanced at Jessie bewilderedly, who now knelt with her arms crossed and an irritable expression on her face.

"Don't you ever do that to me or any of us again!" She demanded. "Don't you ever make us go through–through all of that again!"

It took the cowboy a second, but he eventually chuckled gently. Jessie only grew more indigent, but didn't refuse another embrace from her revived brother. They sat in each other's arms for a few quiet minutes, enjoying the company of the other.

"How did you survive?" The cowgirl asked, her voice muffled against Woody's shirt. "You fell so far!"

"I'll tell you about it later." The cowboy promised, giving one last squeeze before drawing back to look at his sister. "Right now, we need to take care of the rest of this problem."

Jessie could only grin.

"It's so nice to have you back, sheriff."

* * *

Buzz leaned against the bars on the cell, fully relying on them to support his weight. His throat burned, his jaw ached, and the cuts on his face rubbing against the metal stung, but his body had since grown anesthetic to all feeling. A reverberating gunshot against the cave walls had silenced his previous, frenzied actions and desperate cries, freezing his blood and piercing him straight through to his heart. His resilient determination, a trait that made him famous, seemed to die finally within him, shot down by a truth he always feared.

Jessie was gone and his own will to live left with her. He could only hope Lotson wouldn't make him wait too long to follow her.

"Buzz!"

His eyes shot open wide. As his heartbeat quickened, he snapped his head up, looking about wildly for the source of the voice he so loved. Running down the path, a smile stretching her lips, was the cowgirl herself.

"Hold on a sec, I'll getcha outta there." Jessie beamed at the prospect of regaining the upper hand again while taking out a ring of keys and fitting one into the cell's lock.

"H-how did you…?" Buzz stuttered incredulously. "How could you have possibly–mmph."

Once the cowgirl unlocked the cell door, she flung herself at the him and captured his lips firmly. She adored the fact that she could use her arms again and wrapped them around her fiancé, trailing her fingers through his hair and pressing him closer to her. The near-death experience had left her craving for solace and she always found it in Buzz.

"Jess," Buzz groaned as he reluctantly pulled away. "How are you still here? Did you save yourself?"

"No." The cowgirl breathed but smiled gently. "Woody saved me."

She nearly laughed as confusion riddled the former ranger's features. He stared at her for a long moment, as if trying to find the joke somewhere in her eyes, her expression. Yet, she kept her sincerity steady, hoping he would believe her.

"Woody?" Buzz questioned quietly. "That can't be possible. Woody's–"

"Alive, Buzz." Jessie put much seriousness into her tone. "He went around another way to save Bo while I came to free you. Trust me, he was there, he…he killed Lotson. I almost thought myself crazy and dead, but I'm not. Please, trust me."

Doubt kept nagging at the former ranger's mind, logic and common sense screaming at him at how ridiculous and impossible the occurrence seemed. Yet, an intuition inside him brought hope to the forefront of his emotions. It lied dormant and ignored since _Sicarius _supposedly killed his friend, but it always existed. Only then did he finally acknowledge it.

"I trust you, Jess." Buzz assured. "I believe you."

Jessie enveloped him again briefly, expressing her gratitude with a squeeze.

"We should meet up with him, if he needs help." The cowgirl murmured as she moved behind her fiancé to unlock his restraints. "I don't want him fighting alone again."

"Right, do you know where Pete is?" Buzz sighed with relief once his arms were freed, rubbing his sore wrists.

"Nope, but I'm sure he won't be too hard to find."

* * *

The darkness thickened as the couple made their way down the path, venturing ever deeper into the bowels of the cave. Buzz had picked up one of the torches as a light source, but it did little to comfort Jessie's natural fear of the dark. She kept close to him, gripping his hand tightly as he led. The search proved more difficult than they expected, but neither one crumbled under the pressure.

"How far does this cave go?" The cowgirl wondered aloud.

"Hopefully not much further." Buzz commented quietly. "Honestly, I want to know how the heck Pete knew where he was going."

"He's a miner." Jessie reminded. "Caves and mines are his specialty. I wouldn't be surprised if he made a secret room outta rock down here."

Buzz laughed lightly at the idea.

"Should I worry about booby traps too?" He joked, receiving a swift punch to the arm. "Ow, ok, ok. Just kidding."

Suddenly, a noise reached their ears. Halted in their tracks and standing up straight, they strained their hearing as their animalistic instincts took over. They couldn't define the sound clearly, but they assumed it came from voices.

"This way." Jessie directed to her right.

The two picked up another faint echo, but they could tell they drew closer to its source as they cantered along an unbeaten passageway. Soon enough, they could hear words, muffled but distinct. Thrilled, they kept moving swiftly until a moderate level of lighting met them at the end of their pursuit.

"You can't fool me! I know you're an imposter!"

Pete's yells greeted Buzz and Jessie as they entered an enormous grotto. Yet, they completely ignored him and could only stare in awe at their surroundings. Crystals and diamonds covered the walls like majestic mirrors, reflecting the light and images of the dozens of torches perched beside the elegant minerals. A small pool of water rippled off to the side, a trickling waterfall keeping it filled from a crack in the ceiling above and providing soothing, natural music to the ears. The couple felt as if they entered a grand ballroom underneath the earth, designed and created for mere peace and beauty.

"Believe what you want, Uncle Pete. But, I'm not going anywhere until you let my wife go."

Woody's stern tone broke the amazed stupor that captured Buzz and Jessie's attention. The cowgirl crouched low behind some rocks, having to pull the former ranger down with her when he stalled. Giving him a perplexed look, she noticed his eyes had widened considerably since Woody spoke, the voice acting as physical proof of the cowboy's well-being. She grinned and bobbed her head around proudly, gesturing an 'I-told-you-so.'

"We ain't got married yet!" Pete retorted as his accent thickened. "I want everything my damn brother and his damn son owned and that includes her!"

Carefully, Buzz and Jessie crept around their hiding spot until they could view the scene taking place below them in the middle of the grotto. A makeshift altar stood on a small platform of rock and behind it stood an outlaw wearing pieces of a priest's outfit, possibly a former man of God before choosing a life of crime. Before him stood Bo, eagerly gazing at the cowboy that stood on an upper ridge of rock, who had a pistol unsheathed and face screwed with contempt. The shepherdess looked ready to sprint toward her husband, the man she thought she had lost forever, but the gun that Pete pointed to her chest kept her standing still. The prospector rested a finger on the trigger, but faced Woody, a sneer of disbelief on his face.

"You can't marry a woman who's already married." The sheriff informed, his gun twitching in his hand. "Besides, since I've been alive this whole time, you've earned nothing of mine or my father's. Not the ranch, not the money, and not my wife."

Jessie forgot about everything else after Lotson dragged her away to die, but Woody's reminder enlightened her again. She breathed with relief; they hadn't lost anything after all! Pride Ranch still belonged to them. They didn't have to live on the streets. She and Buzz didn't have to worry about getting forcibly married.

"It's all mine!" Pete snarled, cocking the gun in his hand. "You're dead! I've got it all! You've got nothing!"

"Hold it, uncle." Woody backtracked, inwardly panicking at how close Pete was to killing Bo. "Can I at least explain how I'm still alive?"

The prospector breathed heavily and did not speak a word nor give any non-verbal permission. The sheriff believed his uncle curious enough, though, and took the silence as a yes.

"Y'see, when I was dangling from the floor, I thought for sure I was gonna die." Woody began as he relaxed himself slightly to tell his story. "The explosion got me pretty good and I knew I wasn't gonna be able to hang on for long and I didn't want Jessie to put herself in danger. I let go and waited to hit the ground, to die, but I never did. In fact, I landed in one of those speeders, the buggies that fly. The guy driving it hadn't accidentaly caught me, though. He came to save as many people as he could because he knew the attack was gonna happen beforehand."

"Who coulda known that?" Pete huffed indignantly.

"Lotson's top specialist, the one who figured out how to make _Sicarius_ work." The cowboy affirmed knowingly. "His name was Dr. Telphonus Chatter. Recognize the name?"

The heavy frown and recognition on the prospector's face indicated enough.

"He caught about four people and immediately took us from the Senate building to his house." Woody continued. "He knew Lotson wanted killed me, so he had to keep me in a secret place until I healed from my wounds. He didn't want anyone to know where I was in order to protect me. It took a while for me to recuperate, though, since I wasn't in a hospital. Once I did, he told me Jessie and Buzz went back to Andersonville and Lotson had followed them for some reason. I couldn't sit any longer and wait. So, I came back too, only to find that you and Lotson caused a huge mess about my property."

"It ain't yours!" Pete went livid again and turned the gun away from Bo, only to thrash it about in the air. "Even if you are alive, you came back too late to claim it! Lotson already–"

"Lotson is dead." Woody tensed again, but maintained a calm expression. "He can no longer help you."

Jessie could sense her uncle's building rage from where she knelt. Gasping quietly, she got to her feet and crept quickly to another pile of rocks beside her. Ignoring Buzz's whispered protests, she took Lotson's Colt pistol from her pocket and began determining the range between herself and the prospector.

"I don't care!" Pete roared and aimed his gun at Woody's chest. "I will get what I want, even if I have to kill you myself!"

Hearing Bo cry out for only a second, Jessie fired her pistol. A howl mixed in with the chilling gunshot and soon enough, only painful cries echoed about the grotto. The cowgirl only took a moment to realize she had shot her uncle in the hand before she hastily turned her attention to Woody. The sheriff still stood albeit rigid and stunned. Nothing marked him and he appeared the same as he did before, except a few shades paler. The cowgirl sighed with relief and rested her head against the rocks, breathing heavily.

"Jessie, the minister!" Buzz yelled.

Snapping her head up, she noticed the priest outlaw raising a gun to Bo. Shooting to her feet, she quickly leveled her pistol to the man's head.

"I'd put that down, if I were you!" She warned with a hiss. "Unless you wanna end up like Lotson."

The outlaw jumped at the new voice and glanced at the cowgirl in surprise. Hearing another click, he turned to his left and saw Woody aiming his pistol at him as well. Outnumbered, the man dropped his weapon and raised his hands in the air.

"Good choice." Jessie smirked.

Woody, Buzz, and Jessie, who still aimed the gun at the outlaw, descended to the middle of the grotto together. Once the sheriff jumped down, though, Bo threw herself at him and wasted no time in pressing her lips to his. As the husband and wife reunited, Buzz and Jessie took care of Pete and the outlaw, taking their abandoned guns and binding them with conveniently placed rope and Bo's discarded cuffs.

"You idiots! You can't win! You all will be ruined!" Pete continued to curse even as he clutched his bleeding hand, his wrists tied together. "One Eyed Bart will kill you all! The ranch will be mine!"

"Not happening, Uncle Pete." Woody shook his head as he walked up with Bo by his side. "I brought the whole town with me and we captured Bart and his men before I even came into the cave. You were the last problem of the day."

The truth only caused the prospector to flail about in rage. Sighing and clearly irritated, Woody took a piece of rope and tied it around his uncle's mouth, muffling his yells.

"Well, that should keep him somewhat quiet." The sheriff rolled his eyes. "Buzz, you mind hauling him out?"

The former ranger could only grin in response, shaking the cowboy's hand before giving him a brief hug. Oh, how he missed his best friend.

"Not a problem."

The four friends and family began to make their way out of the cave, dragging behind their catch along the way.


	14. Decisions, Decisions

Yay! This story is finally finished! *collapses* I think this ending is all right and ends the story well. Let me know what you think!

Also want to give a shout out to Michael C. Ryan for all the support, reviews, and love for this story. I dedicate it to you cause you deserve it!

Hope you enjoy. Reviews would be lovely and greatly appreciated. Thanks to everyone who has (favored and alerted as well)!

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**Decisions, Decisions**

The sun had just dipped below the horizon, crowning half the sky in a gentle light and prepared the other side for a gradual sleep. The heat rolled off from the desert floor, disappearing into the air and swept away by a cool, twilight breeze, the atmosphere providing optimal comfort. Everything quieted to a hush and offered a contenting tranquility.

Jessie sighed to herself as she sat on the railing of the back porch to Pride Ranch, leaning her head against a pole and swinging her legs. She stared out to the dimming light, watching a silhouetted cowboy pet his horse between the ears before offering a carrot. Bullseye had followed Woody around the entire day since they returned, not once letting the sheriff out of his sight. The cowgirl couldn't help but find it amusing, watching them since before the sun set.

Admittedly, she still felt a bit doubtful of what she saw. For days, she had to imagine Woody's form, his mere presence, from only her memories due to his 'absence.' Seeing him physically with her own eyes, though, she thought she would never be able to do that again. Even during the past day, while jailing her uncle and the outlaws, she almost believed she was hallucinating and had to talk, touch, or hug him a few times to make sure of reality. She wound up staring and watching him for long periods, to see if he would or would not disappear. Luckily, he hadn't gone anywhere yet.

A sweet smell filled her nose, disrupting her somber thoughts and directing her toward wonderful ones. The aromas of sweet potatoes, roasted turkey, and honey-glazed carrots made her taste buds ache; oh, did Bo know how to cook a great dinner. The shepherdess had put so much heart and soul into everything she did that day, milking the cows and doing the chores. The delicate paleness of her face glowed as a smile attached itself to her lips. Woody's return had enlightened her entirely and left her with no reservations about whether or not he was really there. The two spent almost the entire day together, Bo making sure she hugged and kissed her husband whenever she got the chance. The sheriff doted on her, realizing how much she missed him and he her and wished to reassure and apologize as much as he could. He made sure she knew he would never leave her again.

"It's a beautiful night."

Before Jessie could turn toward the new voice, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind and embraced her. Beaming, the cowgirl leaned back against the man behind her and rested her head on his shoulder. She snuggled against him before opening her emerald eyes to meet his azure ones.

"Howdy." Jessie chuckled slightly.

"Hey." Buzz answered and tightened his grip tenderly.

A comfortable silence fell between them. They stared out to the fields before them, watching as the last dregs of sunlight bent over the roundness of the earth beyond. Woody guided Bullseye into the horse stalls for the night and made his way to the front of the ranch, offering a little wave to the couple and receiving one in turn. Soon enough, the world went dark, the only light coming from the kitchen windows and the small lamp hanging from the back door.

"I'm so glad things are back to normal." Jessie finally sighed, closing her eyes briefly.

"If things were normal to begin with." Buzz humored her while resting his head on hers.

"Hum, you gotta point there." The cowgirl laughed. "Well, in that case, I'm glad Woody's back. I'm so glad I could jump off a cactus."

"Me too, well, sort of." Her fiancé agreed. "I missed my best friend."

"Even though he's joked about your height today?" Jessie reminded.

"…Well, maybe I missed only parts of him."

The two laughed for a long while, so grateful for having the chance to do so again. All the stress and tension they experienced for the past month escaped with their laughter, finally enabling them to relax truly. It took them a while to collect themselves and the elation that stayed with them afterward felt blissful. Again, they enjoyed the peace of normality and with each other.

"I…um…" Buzz began to say, stuttering slightly as he clenched his hands against the cowgirl's waist. "I h-have to tell you something."

Turning her head, Jessie caught his gaze again and offered a concerned look.

"About what?"

"I contacted Commander Nebula a while ago." He informed. "I wanted to tell him we solved the mystery about the android and took care of the criminal behind it. He seemed impressed with how we protected the universe outside of Star Command and overjoyed that Woody was still alive." He paused for a second, looking away to the blackness of night. "He also told me I'm still a Space Ranger captain."

Jessie pulled out of her fiancé's embrace to twist around and face him squarely, an eyebrow raised.

"How is that possible?" She questioned, a hint of excitement in her voice.

"You know Commander Nebula. He _hates_ doing paperwork*. Apparently, he never signed off on my resignment documents and thus never 'fired' me." Buzz shrugged. "Either that, or he put it aside to see if I would come back eventually."

"That's great!" Jessie cheered, wrapping her arms around his neck and embracing him. "It'll be like ya never left!"

"It's just…" The ranger pulled away, "I'm still not sure if I want to go back, though."

"Why?" The cowgirl questioned.

Buzz sighed heavily and glanced at Jessie's face, observing her features and silently extolling them. Gently, he placed his hands on her shoulders and finally looked her straight in the eye.

"You don't want to become a space ranger again, right?"

The cowgirl appeared bewildered for a second before understanding clouded her certainty. Yet, the look her fiancé gave her insured her he already knew her answer.

"No, I don't." She finally admitted, fixing her eyes on the porch. "It's…it's just not who I am, who I want to be. I want to be a deputy sheriff again, with Woody. Space…just isn't for me and neither is being a space ranger. I'm sorry, Buzz."

"It's not your fault at all! Don't apologize." The ranger cupped her chin so he could see those dazzling, emerald irises again. "I want you to be whatever you want to be. I'm just…worried about what will happen to us if I do go back to being a space ranger. I don't want us to grow apart…or worse."

Jessie opened her mouth, but closed it again. She hated facing this issue again and again, always wishing they had better options than the ones they had. Putting Buzz in such a position, making him choose between her or his desired career always made her feel awful and selfish. Every time, one of them had to sacrifice the life they wanted for the other. Why couldn't they figure out how to combine the two?

Then an idea popped into her head.

"Well, with Woody back, we can be much more flexible with how we live." Jessie started, pushing herself off the banister and onto her feet. "I'll have a job and not have to worry about the ranch or protection. We could buy a house in town and live there. We'll be able to pay for it and you'll come home when your work finishes, like a typical husband."

"Are you sure that will work?" Buzz remained skeptical. "I don't want to leave you alone for too long."

"Psh, please." The cowgirl brushed off the worry with a wave of her hand. "I can handle you being away for a few hours or days. Besides, I'll be working too, so I will be busy."

The ranger still held his doubts, nearly provoking Jessie to roll her eyes. She still couldn't get over how much of a worrywart he was whenever things involved her.

"How about we practice that routine here at the ranch before we get ahead of ourselves. Hm?" He suggested with a hopeful smile.

"Oh all right, Mr. Safety Britches." Jessie shook her head but grinned, arms snaking around his neck so she could pull him into a gentle kiss.

"_Captain _Safety Britches to you, miss." Buzz murmured once they pulled away.

Jessie laughed and embraced him again, soon feeling her feet lift off the ground as her fiancé spun her around. He put her down again to join her mirth, taking a moment to calm down. They stayed in each other's arms.

"Speaking of husband, by the way," Buzz began in Jessie's ear. "When are we having our _real _wedding?"

The cowgirl pulled out of his arms slowly, revealing a comical surprised, scared, and bewildered expression. She glanced up with wide eyes.

"Uhhh…"

"Dinner's ready!" Bo called from the kitchen.

"Phew, saved by the bell!" Jessie sighed with relief. "We'll discuss that later!"

She quickly ran inside, leaving a baffled Buzz behind. He eventually shook his head and wandered inside himself, wondering if they would ever be able to decide a date. It didn't really matter, though. They had all the time in the world.

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*1 - In Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Commander Nebula's hate for paperwork is a recurring theme for him.


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